


ZOOTOPIA: MAGNUM FUR

by Anguirus1955



Series: Reckless Endangerment Series [1]
Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Eventual Smut, F/M, Murder, Mystery, Torture, Violence, Wholesale Plot References to Dirty Harry Movies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-09
Updated: 2016-09-09
Packaged: 2018-08-14 00:22:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 92,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7991785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anguirus1955/pseuds/Anguirus1955
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It is the duty of the police to protect and serve. Over a year after the Night Howler case and Nick's graduation, Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde find themselves stumbling onto a series of cases and a conspiracy that will have them both questioning this motto and their own worth and abilities as police officers. After all is said an done, an animal's got to know their limitations.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Late Night Occurrence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A youth is murdered by a pimp, and some new faces appear at Precinct One.

Disclaimer: Zootopia is property of Disney.

* * *

**Late Night Occurrence**

* * *

Date: Saturday, March 28th, 2017 

It was 9:15 pm in Zootopia's Happytown District, a ghetto and slum area. There were bright neon lights adorning various outlets and buildings. Many areas in it were red light districts, and others were restaurants or laundromats. There were seedy places where shady animals made shady deals, and there were plenty of bars for animals to get drunk in.

Standing on a sidewalk, glancing around nervously, was a female white-tail deer, dressed in standard hooker clothes. The doe watched the cars passing her nervously as she waited for the light to turn green. Before it could, however, an old but well-maintained car with tinted windows drove up to her. The back passenger-side window lowered and the doe saw the face of her boss, a male Kodiak bear in his forties wearing a business suit and a brown coat, named Reginald Vanderbelt.

"Hello, Honey Dew," he said, using the doe's business name. "Mr. Vanderbelt, I was just on my way to-" "Get in," the bear ordered her. "Y-Yes," she said nervously. Reginald opened the door and motioned for the deer to get inside. "You'll have to crawl to the other side," he said. Honey Dew gulped before getting in and crawling over the bear's legs before twisting around to sit up on the other side.

It was a fairly common strategy, especially among gangsters and other types of criminals, to have someone sit on the side of the car that opened up to traffic. It kept their quarry from trying to leave the vehicle before they could conclude their business. Distrustful fathers also sometimes used this tactic when in the same vehicle as their daughter's boyfriends.

"It's been a while since I've seen your tail," Reginald said. "In fact, I'd say it's been over a week," he added with a frown. "I was on my way to see you," Honey said pleadingly. "Don't lie to me, Honey Dew," Reginald said. "I'm not lying. I've got all the money I owe you, right here!" Honey exclaimed as she reached into her shirt and withdrew several wads of rolled up cash.

Reginald grabbed the money and began counting it. "I see you've been busy," Reginald said as he counted the money. "Of course! I've been working hard to get you your money; you know me!" Honey Dew responded. "Oh, I definitely know you," Reginald said with a frown as he reached over and violently forced his paw down the doe's shirt. "Let's see what else is in the treasure chest!" he exclaimed as he grabbed more cash from the doe's small cleavage.

"Well now, lookie here!" Reginald said as he looked at the money. He glanced over at Honey Dew with a knowing look. "Damn right I know you," he said before putting the money in his one paw and reaching down between the doe's legs. "Let's see what's in the Netherlands," he snarled as he grabbed more money. Honey Dew yelped at his roughness.

"Please, I was gonna give it to you but you didn't give me a chance!" she cried. "Didn't give-oh, that's a crock of shit! I've given you plenty of chances Honey Dew, and this was your _last_ chance!" Reginald said before shoving the money in one of his coat pockets. He then roughly grabbed Honey Dew. "Stop! Stop! Someone, help!"

The badger driving the car glanced back and looked into the mirror, frowning worriedly. Happytown was not a nice place, and many animals ended up hurt or dead in this district every night. "Someone help!" Honey Dew cried out as Reginald shoved her across his lap before reaching behind him and pulling out a bottle of orange liquid.

Honey Dew saw the label on the container and her eyes widened. "No! Stop!" she cried as she raised her hooves to the bear's face and arms, trying to push him away. Reginald brought the cap of the bottle to his lips and pulled it off. He moved one paw up to Honey Dew's mouth and forced it open before forcing the bottle of drain cleaner down her throat.

The badger's eyes widened in fear as he stopped at the red light. He saw an empty parking spot and hit the gas before pulling over, nearly rear-ending another parked car in the process before turning off the engine and getting out of the car, scampering away into a well-lit building with lots of animals walking around.

Reginald paid no mind to his driver's disappearance as he smothered Honey's face and waited for her struggling to cease. The young doe was now dead. Smiling to himself, Reginald got up and exited the car, crushing the bottle and throwing it under the front seat. He then calmly walked away. It was only two hours later that anyone called the police after someone stumbled upon the dead doe in the car.

* * *

Date: Monday, April 2nd, 2017 

Judy Hopps rolled out the kinks in her neck as she got out of bed. It was 6:30 in the morning, and she had plenty of time to get dressed and use the communal shower before heading to the station. " _No, **you're** the one who left it out overnight! So it's **your fault!**_ " Judy sighed as she listened to her neighbors, a kudu and an oryx named Bucky Oryx-Antlerson and Pronk Oryx Antlerson, arguing over who had left something important out overnight.

Judy wasn't entirely certain, and she didn't want to judge, but she was fairly certain that the two were probably a couple. It didn't matter to her, however, since their constant arguments and other antics were a form of a free entertainment to her. Of course, since the walls were almost paper thin, they could hear almost everything that she did as well, and they had plenty of comments to make.

Smiling as she exited her apartment room, Judy made her way to the communal shower, cleaning herself up before putting on her uniform and heading out to the station. She grabbed her iPaw and put some ear-buds in before selecting a Gazelle song as she walked along the sidewalk. About halfway to the station, Judy heard a honk and turned her head to see a green car driving on the road. Glancing at it, she saw what she thought was a familiar face behind the wheel.

"No, it couldn't be," Judy said to herself as she continued walking. Eventually, she reached the station and saw a very similar, if not exactly the same, green car parked in the lot. Taking the buds out of her ears, Judy carefully walked over to the car and looked it over. It was an old type of car, probably made within the last ten or twenty years.

There were some scratch marks on it in a few places, and a couple of dents in a few places around it. One of the side-view mirrors had some tape around it, and Judy could see a crack in it. "Cheese and crackers, who does this belong to?" she asked herself before walking away and entering the front doors of the first precinct. Just before she stepped inside, though, she saw another unfamiliar vehicle parked outside. Walking over to the shiny black car, Judy saw a police light and siren kept on the front passenger seat.

"Huh," she muttered to herself before returning to the entrance. Walking into the lobby, Judy saw Benjamin Clawhauser talking to her partner, Nicholas P. Wilde. They both seemed to be engaged in conversation as neither of them noticed Judy walking up to them.

"That's a shame," Clawhauser said. "I know. It was such a nice place too," Nick said. "Well, what about the other two?" Clawhauser asked him. Other two? Other two what? Judy looked back and forth between the fox and the portly cheetah. "Well, one of them was within my price range, but it's all the way in the flood-zone section of the Rainforest District. Can you imagine how much I'd have to pay each year when the rains come, just in terms of insurance?" Nick asked him.

"Yikes," Clawhauser responded. "So, what about the last place?" Ben asked. "Well, it was too expensive. I don't have enough money saved up in the bank right now to even think about it for at least another year or so," Nick replied. "That sucks," Ben said. "Yeah, it does," Nick said. "So, no one turned you down, though?" Ben asked him.

"Well, the first three places I tried... kind of did, but only before I showed them my ID and they realized that I'm a police officer," Nick replied with a frown. "Ouch," Ben said. "Yeah, and if I had managed to rent from them, can you imagine how many utilities might not work properly for 'unexplained' reasons? I only checked out the available rooms as a courtesy. I decided from then on that my best bets would be places that... well, aren't exactly high-end," Nick said.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that," Ben said. "Thanks," Nick replied. "Anyway, better luck this weekend," Ben said. "I hope so," Nick said as he turned around. "Hey, Carrots! Didn't see ya there," Nick said as he greeted Judy. "So, that's what you were doing yesterday," Judy said. "Huh?" Nick asked her. "Apartment hunting. That's what you and Clawhauser were just talking about, right?" Judy replied.

"Uh, yeah," Nick said, nodding his head. "How come you didn't ask me to help you? You know that I would've come along," Judy asked him as they walked through the hallway behind Clawhauser. "Well, I was going to, but I just kind of... forgot," Nick said. Judy raised an eyebrow disbelievingly at this excuse.

"Why do I not believe that?" Judy asked him as they walked over to the door of the briefing room, also known as the Bull Pen, and stepped inside. "Because it was lame?" Nick offered. "That's true," Judy said with a nod of her head.

"Okay then, do you want to come along this weekend to help me search for a new apartment?" Nick asked her as they passed McHorn, who was sleeping in his chair. "Sure," Judy replied with a smile. "Well then, I suppose this means that you know some places I could check out?" Nick asked her.

"Of-uh... not... really," Judy said lamely. "Hmm, I guess that explains why your own apartment is actually a glorified closet," Nick said with a grin. "It's not a closet. It's a very nicely furnished apartment with just enough space for me, myself, and I," Judy retorted.

"Of course it is, and the bathroom is located on a different floor, and the shower has to be shared with others because you're too kind to keep it all for yourself," Nick said sarcastically with a smirk on his face. Judy scrunched up her face and scowled at Nick before they both heard the door to the Bull Pen open with Chief Bogo's voice. Judy leaned forward on the table and glanced around McHorn, who was still sleeping, to see Chief Bogo arguing with another high-ranking officer, an older grizzly bear whose ornaments on his uniform seemed to indicate that he was... a commissioner.

Chief Bogo and the Commissioner were speaking quietly, but Judy's ears managed to pick up what they were saying. "This isn't up for debate, Martin. You have blank spaces in your roster, and my precinct doesn't. Besides, these men have earned promotions and I've already told you how many promotions aren't available in my precinct. You can complain all you want, Marty, but in the end, I outrank you and my decision is final. Live with it," the bear said with narrowed eyes.

"Yes... sir," Bogo said through gritted teeth. "Good. Now, let's make our introductions to your finest," the bear said as he and Bogo entered the room. Bogo stopped short of the podium and looked at McHorn. "Hopps, please wake up McHorn," Bogo politely asked her.

"Yes sir," Judy said. "Uh, McHorn, you need to wake up," Judy said firmly. McHorn did not stir. "Hey, Thomas McHorn, the great Chief Bogo commands you to rise," Nick said dramatically. "Uh... McHorn?" Nick asked. "Thomas?" Judy asked as McHorn continued to sleep. "Can you hear us, Tommy? Can you feel us near you?" Nick asked with a snicker.

Bogo sighed and marched over to McHorn's desk, slamming his fists down. McHorn woke with a startled grunt. "Huh? What?" he asked groggily. "Thank you for not sleeping during work hours," Bogo said with a knowing grin on his face. "S-Sorry, Chief," McHorn apologized as Bogo walked back over to his podium.

"Ahem. I would like all of you to welcome Commissioner Bernard Callahan," Bogo said firmly, although not warmly. "Hello Commissioner," Nick said, his voice droning in the manner of someone at an alcoholics anonymous meeting. "So, this is the department's first fox officer?" Callahan said as he walked over to Nick and Judy's seat, studying Nick closely.

"Uh... yes," Nick said quietly, wiltering under the bear's steel-like gaze. "Well then, hopefully, you won't be the last," Callahan said as he walked back over to Bogo's side. Nick glanced at Judy before returning his attention to Bogo and Callahan.

"You may proceed," Callahan said to Bogo. "Thank you, sir," Bogo said. "Alright, on today's agenda, we are going to be receiving a handful of transfers from the Third Precinct over in Tundra Town. I trust that everyone here will welcome them and treat them as you would treat your fellow First Precinct officers. I would introduce them, but I don't... see any of them anywhere," Bogo said carefully, eyeing the doorway to make sure that his words seemed genuine to the Commissioner.

"Oh, they won't be arriving until noon," Commissioner Callahan said. "Well, that gives us time to make sure that all of the spare lockers and storage rooms are cleaned up properly," Bogo said. "Whittaker and Chaney, I want the two of you cleaning up the spare lockers. When you are finished, report to me for further assignments," Bogo said.

Whittaker and Chaney, a tiger and a wolf, respectively, both stood up and nodded their heads in confirmation. "Next up. McLeod and Fursfield will be patrolling the Central Station and helping out local transit security. There have been reports lately of some disruptive mammals appearing there every two days for the past two weeks," Bogo said.

"Grizzoli and Fangmeyer, you're both on decoy in Sahara Square today," Bogo said. Fangmeyer and Grizzoli nodded their heads. "Woolsworth and Francine; you both are on patrol duty in the downtown area, along with Statham and Hornwitz. Johnson and Anderson; you two have patrol duty on your standard route. Martinez and Fangton, you'll be handling a robbery report in downtown that just came in this morning," Bogo said.

"Burns, you have paperwork that needs to be completed by noon. Come see me later for further assignments when you are finished. McHorn, you also have paperwork that I need by noon today. Jurro and Dorman, you're on parking duty here in central. Hopps and Wilde, you both will be dealing with a reported case of vandalism in the Rainforest District. The rest of you, come up to collect your assignment papers, which contain further details on additional duties for the day. Dismissed," Bogo said.

Nick and Judy walked up to the desk and sorted their paper from the pile, looking up the address and name of the location. "Dom's Bar and Grille?" Nick asked. "Have you been there?" Judy asked him. "Once or twice," Nick replied as he and Judy walked out of the room as the other officers grabbed their assignments.

* * *

**Dom's Bar & Grille**

Nick and Judy stepped out of the cruiser and looked at the sign on top of the door. The building had a wooden aesthetic to it, like much of the Rainforest District's architecture. Unlike most other facilities in the Rainforest District, Dom's Bar & Grille wasn't strictly made of wood or carved out of a large tree. There were vines growing around certain parts of the outer wall, and part of the back of the building was cement, even brick and mortar.

"So, when was the last time you were here?" Judy asked as she and Nick made their way inside the eatery. "Oh, about two or three years ago," Nick replied. The atmosphere of the place was very warm, and the lights had a warm glow as well. The wooden aesthetic continued inside, but instead of feeling like the inside of a tree, it was a wooden board aesthetic. There were several health certificates plastered around the walls, especially near the bar counter.

Judy looked over to her right and saw the various tables and booths that were occupied by various animals, including two turtles. There were also several hyenas sitting at a booth, eating and talking with one another, and three leopards were sitting at a table, eating. There were a few pairs of foxes sitting around at various booths and some boars chatting with each other at the bar. A pair of black-backed jackals were conversing over a couple of drinks at a table, four raccoons were eating and talking without worry at a booth, two otters were eating at a table, and four weasels were looking at one of their party's phone while drinking and eating.

Judy's nose began to twitch when she smelled something unfamiliar to her. "What's that smell?" she asked Nick quietly. "Huh?" Nick asked her. "That... smell. It's coming from the grill over there," Judy pointed out. "Oh. Um... see, not all predators eat insects, Judy. Some of us, especially larger ones, eat fish and certain... land vertebrates," Nick said evasively.

"I've smelled fish being cooked, and that isn't fish," Judy said. "Well, then it's... probably chicken... or turkey. Some kind of poultry," Nick said. "B-Birds?" Judy asked him. "Uh, yeah," Nick replied. "Nick, birds are intelligent," Judy whispered harshly. "Yes, but not all of them are sentient. There's a bit of a difference, and chickens are not sentient," Nick replied.

The pair walked up to the bar where a large animal with his back turned to them was fixing a drink for the leopard sitting next to them. "Um, excuse me, sir?" Judy said. "Yes?" asked the animal, who still hadn't turned around. "Um, do you know where we can find the owner of this establishment? We received a report this morning about a vandalism incident," Judy explained.

The animal turned around, revealing himself to be a Komodo Dragon, startling Judy. "Oh, Dom, what's up?" Nick asked the large reptile. "What's up? Well, perhaps I should be asking you," Dom said. "Um... I'm a police officer now," Nick said with a chuckle. "Really? Good for you," Dom replied nonplussed.

"So, um, were you the one who called in the vandalism report?" Nick asked him. Judy was still staring at Dom, having never seen a large reptile before. "Yes, as a matter of fact I am. But that's only part of the issue," Dom replied as he finished mixing the drink and handed it to the leopard. "Thanks," the leopard said before working on his drink.

"You're welcome. Now, Nick and... uh... I've seen your face somewhere before," Dom said as he turned to look at Judy. "Hey, Carrots, don't be shy," Nick said. "Huh? Oh. I'm, ah, Judy Hopps. O-Officer Judy Hopps," Judy said proudly. "Oh, the first rabbit officer? Yes, now I remember. I've seen your face on a few recruitment pamphlets for the ZPD. You helped solve that case with those flowers that were making animals go savage," Dom said.

"Uh, yeah. The Night Howler case," Judy said. While listening to Dom speak, she could detect a hint of an accent in his voice. She wasn't sure where it was from, but it was definitely there.

"So, anyway, the vandalism was only part of the problem I am having," Dom said. "Oh? And you deliberately omitted something else because... why?" Nick asked him. "Nick, what am I?" Dom asked him. "Well, Dominic, you are the owner of this eatery," Nick replied with a smirk.

"Nice try, smart-ass. But come on, what am I?" Dom asked him again. "You're a reptile," Judy said. "That is correct," Dom said while pointing a claw at Judy. "Now, look around this place, Wilde. You too, Hopps. Tell me, who all do you see here?" Dom asked them. "I see... foxes, hyenas, weasels, otters, leopards, and boars. Not all of these are rain forest species, though," Judy replied.

"True, but how often do you see the first three at high-end establishments with good credentials?" Dom asked her. Now Judy was starting to think. "Wait, Dom, you haven't told us what the other problem you omitted was yet," Nick said. "Eh? Oh, right, I didn't. Well, the other problem that I omitted was that I received a rather threatening letter. It is... harassment, I would say. But now, hearing that, what kind of response would I get from the police if I reported harassment to them, with most of my clientele being who they are? With me being what I am?" Dom asked them.

"You would be ignored, or someone would come out here just step inside real quick and then leave," Nick answered. "What? No. No way," Judy said. "The Zooptopia Police Department has better standards and dignity than that. I mean, they sent us out here, didn't they?" Judy replied. "That's because Bogo knows that only you, and probably me as well, would be willing to check this out," Nick retorted.

"So, anyway, this letter," Nick began, "I don't suppose you can show it to us, can you?" "Of course. Hey, Marigold, keep and eye on the bar for me, okay? I'll be right back," Dom called out to a giant otter over by the grill area. The otter nodded her head and began walking over to the bar.

"All right, please follow me to my office," Dom said as he walked around the counter and led the two officers up a flight of stairs. "This way," Dom said as he inserted a key into a lock and opened a large mahogany door. "I like this door. Feel it. It's Mahogany," Dom said giddily. "Yes. Mahogany," Nick said sardonically as he and Judy walked into Dom's office.

Dom opened a desk drawer and reached inside, retrieving the letter. "Here is the letter. I found it in a dry spot behind the broken light around nine this morning. Go ahead, read it," Dom said as he handed the letter to Judy. "This is a warning," Judy read aloud. "You aren't wanted here. Your patrons aren't wanted here. Get rid of the thieves and crooks before Friday, or a spray-painted door and a broken light will be the least of your problems," Judy read.

"I don't know exactly who it is, and it could be anyone. As for the broken light and spray-paint, I took care of those this morning. Stuff like that is nothing new, and I almost thought that the broken light was unplugged until I realized that it had been cut and the connections were broken," Dom said. "Sometimes, during the heavy rains, I unplug all of the outside lights at night, to prevent electrical problems," he explained.

"And last night?" Nick asked him. "Moderate rain, but any paw prints were definitely washed away, along with any scents or other evidence. But... there were some bleach stains in a few spots near the door. I gave the front area a fresh anti-water coating three days ago, so those are new, and I didn't make them," Dom said.

"Someone tried to cover their tracks as a precaution," Judy said. "Yes. If it weren't for the letter, I actually wouldn't have even thought much of it. Sometimes the wires to certain things get cut by accident by my claws when I'm inspecting them for water damage, causing me to replace them anyway," Dom said. "I see. You touched this letter with your paws, so checking for other prints-" "I have scales, and those don't leave much oil prints like paws do. Although, the letter is typed, and it's unlikely that the perpetrator would have used their bare paws anyways, not when they used bleach to cover their tracks during mild rain," Dom interjected.

"Right. Well, is it okay for us to take the letter?" Nick asked him. "Of course. You'll need it for your investigation. At least, I'm assuming that there will be some kind of investigation? I've had threats before, but they always went away after a bit of time. This, however, is new. The last threat that I received prior to this was three years ago. Nothing specific, and no damage was done, but this coincided with spray-painted slurs and a deliberately damaged piece of property," Dom said.

"We'll starting looking into it right away. Thank you for your time mister... uh," Judy asked. "DeSilva. Oh, here's the envelope the letter was in," Dom replied. "Thank you, Mister DeSilva," Judy said as she took the envelope. The two officers made their way out of his office and down into the main bar. Taking one last look around, Judy noticed that she had rarely ever seen foxes and hyenas looking so carefree. They usually had worried looks on their faces or wore fake smiles of smugness because of society's large distrust of them.

These mammals had genuine smiles on their faces, which was only possible because they felt safe. Dom's Bar & Grille was a place where society's misfits felt safe and at ease, and someone wasn't happy about that. The thought made Judy angry, as did any social injustice.

Turning away, she and Nick exited the bar and entered their cruiser. "So, what did you think of it?" Nick asked her. "The case or the bar?" Judy asked him. "The case?" Nick replied. "I think that it's a case of bigotry and prejudice," Judy replied. "I figured that much," Nick said as Judy started up the engine. "So, we have our evidence. Now we need to find a suspect, but... given the rain that Dom mentioned, any real chances of finding something are slim to none," Nick said with a sigh as they headed back to the station.

"Well, there might be something in the envelope," Judy said as Nick held it in his paws, turning it over and sniffing it. "Maybe," Nick said as they entered a regional transition tunnel, heading back to Savannah Central. "So, that was a Komodo Dragon," Judy said thoughtfully. "Yep. Why, you've never met one before?" Nick responded. "No. I've never really met any reptiles before, to be honest," Judy replied. The rest of the ride to the station was silent as Nick carefully placed the envelope and letter in a plastic bag and zipped it shut.

* * *

Benjamin Clawhauser looked up from his desk as he saw Nick and Judy round about his desk as they exited the hallway that led to the garage and made their way to the hallway that led to the other offices and labs of the ZPD's First Precinct. "Uh... why do you guys always take the long way around?" Clawhauser asked them. There were several connecting halls and corridors in the back areas that would have made their trip much quicker.

"We just like being around you. Besides, we saw some new faces and wanted to get some intel before chatting them up in person," Nick said with a smirk. "Oh, yeah, the new guys. They arrived just a little while ago. They've been setting up shop throughout the station, putting stuff in lockers and getting new name tags and filling out forms... I've greeted each one of them in person," Clawhauser said.

"Really?" Nick asked him. "Yeah. They seem nice," Clawhauser said with the slightest hesitation. If Nick hadn't been able to read people so well, he would've missed it, but Clawhauser, much like Judy, was a very sincere and openly emotional animal. "Well, I guess we'd better get moving. Come on, Carrots. We've got some evidence to work on," Nick said.

After depositing the evidence to what was apparently the only available lab worker, Nick and Judy made their way to their desk cubicles to begin writing their report. Heading into the office area, they both stopped in their tracks when they saw a large gray wolf sniffing Nick's desk area inquisitively.

"Uh, excuse me sir, but what are you doing?" Judy asked. The wolf lifted his head up and stared at the rabbit with a puzzled expression. "Yes, Hooper, just what were you doing?" asked another, much larger wolf. The wolf was wearing a plain-clothes outfit, implying that he was a detective, or was here on his day off. "Lisker, I was just... you know, trying to learn more about our new coworkers," Hooper replied.

"Really? Well, the proper way to do that is to talk to them, and I see two candidates right over there. Don't be shy. Go say hello," Lisker said. "Y-Yes, sir," Hooper said. Lisker eyed him strangely as he walked over to the fox and rabbit. "Hi, I'm Sergeant Maes Hooper. You must be Officers... Hopps and Wilde?" he greeted them.

"Yup! Officers Judy Hopps and Nicholas Wilde," Judy exclaimed proudly as she extended a paw to the wolf. Hooper nodded his head as he took her paw and gently shook it. He looked at Nick before extending a paw, which Nick hesitantly accepted. "Well, I, uh... I look forward to working with you both. This is Lieutenant Lisker," Hooper said, gesturing to the older and larger wolf behind him.

Lisker walked forward and extended a paw as well. "Lieutenant Milton Lisker. How's it goin'?" he asked as he shook Judy and Nick's paws. "Uh, f-fine. Things are going fine," Nick replied with a slight nervousness. He couldn't figure it out, but something about Lisker put him on edge.

It could have been the way Lisker was studying both him and Judy, much like a predator sizing up its prey, or it could have been the strong, vice-like grip that Lisker had when shaking their paws. Nick saw the firearm holstered under the wolf's jacket, and Lisker noticed the fox's eyes widening.

"Ah, yes, that piece of weight," Lisker said with a strange smile. "Is that... a lethal firearm, or a custom tranquilizer?" Nick asked him. "It's... well, lethal. But, I've never once had to use it," Lisker said in a disarming manner. "Never? Well, I suppose that's... good, right?" Judy responded. "Definitely. Firing it would have given more paperwork than I'd have cared for anyway," Lisker said with a chuckle.

"So, Lieutenant, is it just you and Hooper, or are there others coming from the third precinct?" Judy asked him. "Oh, there are plenty more of us," Lisker replied. "Well, aren't the others already here?" Hooper asked Lisker. "Yes, but I meant that there are plenty more for our friends here to meet," Lisker replied.

"Really? So, are you guys all wolves?" Judy asked them. "Heh, no," Lisker replied. "We've got lions, tigers, and bears," Hooper said. "Oh my," Nick said wryly. "Oh, yes indeed," Lisker said with a smirk. "So, tell me something," Lisker began. "Does Chief Bogo always sound like he's got a stick up his ass?"

Judy's jaw dropped and Nick had to hold in a snicker. "No, seriously, does he?" Lisker asked them again. "Uh, well... for as long as I've known Chief Bogo... yes," Nick replied. "Nick!" Judy hissed at him. "What? It's true," Nick retorted. "See? I told you his own people view him that way," Lisker said as he held a paw out. Hooper reluctantly retrieved a twenty-dollar bill from his pocket and handed it to Lisker, who then stuffed it in his jacket.

"So, what are things like here in central?" Lisker asked them. "Well, things are usually kind of peaceful," Judy replied. "At least, since the Night Howler case," she clarified. "Ah, yes, I remember that. I read the report as well," Lisker said as he leaned against a desk with his paws in his pants pockets.

"One little ewe nearly tore the whole damn city apart," Lisker said. "Yeah. It's just a miracle that no one actually got hurt-er, killed, anyway," Judy said, remembering how her leg had been injured and how several lives had almost been destroyed by Bellwether's plot.

Lisker began moving to walk away when he paused mid-stride. "Hey, Wilde? Is it really true that you sold a rug made from a skunk's butt to Mr. Big?" Lisker asked with a snicker. "Uh, yes, I did," Nick replied. "Well. From what I've heard about Mr. Big... that was pretty damn stupid," Lisker said with a smile. "Of course, you also must've been on really good terms for him to let you live afterwards," Lisker added.

"Uh... well... I try to avoid him as much as possible," Nick replied. "Huh. Is that so? I guess that's part of why you joined the police? Knowing that your connection to Hopps might offer a small bit of protection?" Lisker asked jokingly. "Um, n-no," Nick replied. "I'm just kidding. Still, one day, you're going to end up investigating something in Big's territory, and you _will_ cross his path again. It's inevitable, unless... it's already happened, of course," Lisker said with a knowing smirk before walking away.

"What's up with him?" Judy asked rhetorically. "I think he's a detective," Nick said with a shrug of his shoulders. "How could you tell?" Judy asked him. "What? Uh, Carrots, the plain clothes? The nice outfit? That's classic detective wear, or at least seventies detective wear," Nick replied. "Sorry. I'm so used to seeing blue on other officers that I... kind of forgot about that," Judy said before hopping onto her chair.

"Yeah... well, let's get this report over with. It shouldn't be too difficult, and then we can go do some investigating on who might've done the harassment and close the case up," Nick said as he sat down in his own chair at his own cubicle, which was situated directly across from Judy's cubicle. "Yeah, let's... let's do that," Judy said, heart beginning to slow down. "So, wanna get takeout tonight?" Nick asked her.

"Huh? Oh, um, sure. Where at?" Judy replied. "Well, how about that place down by Central Station? It's not too out of the way," Nick suggested. "Hmm, okay. But, you're paying for it," Judy replied. "Fair enough," Nick said before he began typing up his report.

* * *

Milton Lisker walked down the hallway before entering the break room, finding Furmington Benezio, a tiger, playing cards with Leo Horrowitz, a ram. "Hey, numb-nuts, you both owe me twenty," Lisker said as he approached them. "For what?" Benezio asked him. "I was right. Officer Wilde _did_ sell that rug to Mr. Big," Lisker said.

"Dammit," Benezio growled as he pulled a twenty out of his pocket and handed it to Lisker, who took it with a smile. "Thank you," Lisker said. "Now, do have any leads on that dead doe in Happytown?" Lisker asked Horrowitz.

"Same as the last two murders," the ram replied. "Vanderbelt?" Lisker asked him. "Fur samples matched the others. It was him," Horrowitz said. "Pouring drain cleaner down someone's throat like that... that doe didn't deserve that," Lisker said. "No, but Vanderbelt certainly does," Benezio said darkly.

"Yes. Yes he does," Lisker said in agreement. "But... for now, we need to bring him in for questioning, and make sure all of the evidence is consistent. I don't want him getting out because of any technicalities or something stupid. I want a strong case, evidence he can't deflect, but most importantly, I want justice served. Is that clear?" Lisker asked.

"Crystal, Sir," Horrowitz said. "Good. Now, let's get settled in," Lisker said. "We're going to be here for a while."


	2. Meet The Meat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The transfers from Precinct Three start making themselves at home in Precinct One, and Nick and Judy continue their investigation into the vandalism of Dom's Bar & Grille.

Disclaimer: Zootopia is property of Disney.

* * *

**Meet The Meat**

* * *

Date: Tuesday, April 3rd, 2017 

When Judy arrived at the station, she saw Nick's green car out front again. He had shown it to her the previous night when they were leaving the station. It was apparently the least expensive thing he could find that also wouldn't break down on him right away.

Making her way into the station, Judy saw Clawhauser at the front desk, black bags under his eyes and a half eaten donut in one paw while he slowly reached for a cup of what was luke-warm coffee with the other. His eyes slowly traveled away from the coffee mug to Judy as she made her way to the front desk.

"H-Hey, Judy. What... [yawn] what's up?" Clawhauser asked her tiredly. "Um... not much. Ben, are you okay? You don't look like you've gotten much sleep," Judy asked with some concern in her voice. "Double shift. Last night's night officer didn't show up. I had to sleep in this chair," he replied. "Were able to get a shower at least?" Judy asked him. "Yeah. I have two sets of spare uniforms in my locker in case something like [yawn] like this happens," Clawhauser replied.

"Well, hopefully tonight's desk officer will arrive on time," Judy said. "I hope so. Say, if you get patrol today, could you stop at a party store and get me one of those fake-awake eye things?" Clawhauser asked her. "Oh, Ben, Nick and I are following up on a case of vandalism and possible harassment. But, we'll see if anything is on our route," Judy replied apologetically.

"Thanks," he said with another tired yawn before his face fell to the desk. Judy heard him breathing softly before she began walking away. She quickly made her way to the briefing room and stopped in her tracks as she heard some muffled voices behind the door. Quietly opening the door, she peeked inside and saw three wolves and a tiger standing around her and Nick's seat, along with a wolf who looked a little odd as well.

"So, you actually passed without using any tricks or bribes?" one wolf asked Nick. "I bet he won't last the whole year. Will you?" another wolf stated with a grin. Judy cleared her throat and walked forward, catching the attention of the wolves and tiger. "Um, excuse me, but I would like to be able to get in my seat, please. Thank you," Judy said as she hopped up to her spot next to Nick. Both animals were small enough that they practically shared the same chair.

One of the wolves snickered. "The fox needs a tiny rabbit to stand up for him? This is rich," he said. Judy was about to retort when the door opened loudly and everyone turned to see Lieutenant Lisker walking in the door. "I'm... supposed to arrive here for the morning briefing, right? Or is that a different section I'm supposed to go to?" he asked. Unlike yesterday, when he had a cool expression and an air of confidence and superiority over his person, he currently had a genuine undertone of uncertainty to his voice.

"Ahem." Lisker looked behind himself and stepped aside as Chief Bogo walked past him. Lisker was about to speak when he saw some of his fellow precinct members standing around Nick and Judy's morning desk. "Fellas, is there a reason that you're all gathered around a single desk?" Lisker asked as he walked forward.

His 3rd Precinct mates looked at him strangely. "I don't care how nice the seat is, it already has its occupants, so find somewhere else," Lisker said to them, his authoritative tone back. "Officers Wilde and Hopps? I didn't think I'd be seeing you both again so soon," Lisker said with a smirk.

"Lieutenant," Bogo said gruffly. "Huh? Oh, yes. Chief, do I report here for the morning briefing, or do I go elsewhere for the detective area?" Lisker asked him. "Down the hall," Bogo said. "Go find Captain Glover. He'll tell you everything you need to know," Bogo replied curtly. "Thanks, Chief," Lisker said with a smile before turning around and heading out the door.

"Now, like he said, find your seats," Bogo stated. The wolves, tiger, and odd wolf found seats around the room. Only the odd wolf seemed okay with not being seated close to her fellow 3rd precinct mates, while the rest seemed uneasy and almost vulnerable. "Okay, as those of you who are awake can see, we have some new officers with us today. However, I'm not going to introduce them because Commissioner Callahan isn't here and I don't really care. Treat them as you would treat your fellow first precinct officers. Now, onto assignments," Bogo said.

"Hopps and Wilde, you two are following up that vandalism case from yesterday. McLeod and Fursfield, you're both on patrol in downtown. Grizzoli, you're going undercover in the Meadowlands. Fangmeyer, I want you doing solo patrol in the Meadowlands. Provide backup for Grizzoli if he calls for it, but otherwise don't interfere," Bogo said as he continued with the assignments. He eventually began calling out new names.

"Furrero, you'll be partnered with Statham for today, doing parking duty here in Savannah Central. Hooper, you'll also be doing parking duty, along with traffic conduction during school hours with Hornwitz. Learn your way around the place. Pelton, you'll be doing patrol around the transitional tunnels and major roads along with Sergeant Burton. Your file states that you normally patrol those areas, so you don't need anyone to hold your paw. Burton will just be patrolling spots opposite of yours with location changes every few hours," Bogo said. The wolf nodded his head.

"Blackwell, you'll be partnered with Johnson today for patrol in Sahara Square. Mancini, you'll be with Sergeant Burns for patrol in the Rainforest District. Benezio, you'll be partnered with Woolsworth for patrol in Sahara Square. Thurman, you need to finish up yesterday's paperwork, which was not delivered to my desk at all. Afterwards, you'll be with Horrowitz doing parking duty. Everyone else is dismissed," Bogo said.

* * *

"Look, here's what I've got," Duke Weaselton said as he glared at the large Kodiak bear in front of him, wearing a suit. Both predators were standing in a room in the back of a bar in Happytown. There was a table between them, and on that table were several bags of white powder, some bootleg DVDs and Blu-Rays, some music CD's, a few watches, and a few other bags of some various drugs that are usually smoked.

"This is it? Please," Reginald Vanderbelt said dismissively. "Hey, you wanted to see what I've got, and this is it, got it?" Duke retorted. "Listen, Duke, I've got places to go and animals to see. I actually believed that you had something worthwhile for me, but all you have is junk... and I'm pretty sure that white stuff is either flour or sugar. Probably flour," Reginald said.

"You want me to cut some? I can do that," Duke said with a grin. "You're bluffing. I've seen your type before. You claim that we can try it, just so that I'll buy it on your word. That shit ain't flying with me," Reginald growled. "Fine! What did you expect from me anyway? If want high quality stuff, then you need to go up to Mr. Big's territory, cause he controls all of the good stuff... except these watches," Duke said. "Duke, those watches wouldn't be right even once a day," Reginald said with a snort before turning around.

"Fine! Be that way! Jerk," Duke muttered under his breath as he started packing up his stuff into a large suitcase and gym bag as Reginald exited the room. Duke heard some crashing and banging sounds coming from outside and quickly hurried out the door. Reginald had already left the area, but when Duke got outside, he saw what the bear had done to his scrapped-together moped, which was the only for of motorized transportation that the weasel could afford.

The moped had been bent and dented, one of the wheels had been torn up. "That... that son of a bastard! I'll get him for this! You hear me, Reggie! I'll get you!" Duke cried out in fury. "My poor... baby," he then weeped quietly over the moped. "It's okay. Daddy's gonna fix you up good as new once he gets to a junkyard. And then... then he's gonna make that Kodiak bastard _beg_ for mercy," Duke said with a vengeful tone.

* * *

Just a half a mile away from the transitional tunnel between Savannah Central and Happytown, a traffic cop watched through the visor of his motorcycle helmet as traffic passed by on the road. He checked his watch. It was 11:59 am. He'd been waiting almost two hours in this area now, knowing that his prey would soon come speeding through that transitional tunnel, just as he had almost every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday for the past five weeks.

The chewing gum in his mouth had already lost its flavor, but he kept chewing on it anyway as he watched and waited for a very specific vehicle to come speeding out of that tunnel. The temperature was in the high sixties, Fahrenheit, and there was a nice breeze moving through the air, passing through the officer's fur and keeping him cool as he watched the various cars and trucks drive by his spot, hidden behind some bushes.

"Come on, you asshole. Let me catch you," he said under his breath. Soon, he heard the distinct sound of the custom-made engine roaring through the tunnel before he even saw it coming. "Right on time," he said with a grin. After twenty seconds, he saw a bright purple Cadillac shoot forward, going 25 miles over the speed limit. There was a pull off area not too far from here, where a small round-about road connected to the highway. There were no traffic cameras near it. It was the perfect spot for his mission.

The wolf activated the blaring siren on his motorcycle and shot forward, getting behind the speeding eye-sore as he motioned for the driver to pull the vehicle over once they neared the round-about road. The Cadillac slowed down before eventually pulling off to the bare stretch of dirt and gravel that was the pull off area. The officer's motorcycle slowed down before stopping behind it.

The officer gave himself a few seconds before dismounting the bike and walking forward, keeping his taser and tranquilizer gun ready. He knew for a fact that Reginald Vanderbelt kept an illegal and unregistered firearm on his person or at least in his own car, meaning that he was taking the necessary precautions as he walked up to the opened window of the car.

Inside the car, Reginald Vanderbelt snarled as he saw the officer approaching from the side-view mirror. Reaching into his glove compartment, Reginald pulled out a very large revolver and placed it across his lap before readying his wallet and ID. He smirked as the officer casually approached his window.

When the officer stopped just outside of the open window, he glared at the bear from behind his helmet's visor. "Hello, Officer. What seems to be the problem?" Reginald asked, keeping his temper in check. "You were speeding. Twenty-five miles over the limit," the cop replied sourly.

"Is that so? Well, I must not have been paying attention. I am in a bit of a rush, though. I'll be more careful in the future," Reginald said. "May I please see your license and registration, sir?" the cop asked. "Why, sure," Reginald said with a grin as he held up his wallet and looked away, showing the bribe money to the officer. Behind the cop's helmet, his maw curled up in disgust.

He quietly unholstered his gun and aimed it at Reginald's head. "Mr. Vanderbelt, you are guilty of murder and bribery," he said calmly, causing the bear to turn his attention to the officer and notice his gun. Reginald chortled. "Just what the hell is this?" Reginald asked him in disbelief. "Justice," the cop said as he fired the tranq-dart into the bear's throat.

After a minute of wide-eyes and difficult breathing, Vanderbelt soon slumped forward against the steering wheel of his car. The officer watched the bear carefully before retrieving the tranquilizer dart from the ursine's neck and washing it with a small bottle of bleach. He then threw it away and retrieved a normal dart, placing it in the gun and re-holstering the weapon.

The cop then looked around the scene before casually making his way back to his motorcycle, mounting it and riding off to his patrol spot. Thinking about what he had just done, the traffic cop smiled to himself behind his helmet. Today had been a very good day.

* * *

"Not a single lead," Judy said in disappointment as she and Nick got back into their cruiser. "I thought for sure that someone would know something. I mean, the guy's had his place there for seven years, right? And he told us that's he's dealt with this kind of thing before, so there should be something to go on, but there isn't," Nick said in frustration.

"But, the perpetrator used the rain as cover, meaning that we would have to question and investigate nearly every single resident to find anything," Judy said with a sigh. "Maybe we should go back to the bar and ask Dom some more questions, you know, about the earlier incidents. Maybe we can establish a pattern if we do that," Nick suggested.

"You know... that's actually a good idea, Nick," Judy said with a smile before pulling out of the parking spot and heading back to the main road. "I can't believe we didn't ask about that yesterday," Judy said. "Well, Carrots, it _was_ your _first time_ with a reptile. That can be _quite_ the experience," Nick joked. Judy snorted at his joke.

Thirty minutes later, the duo arrived at Dom's Bar & Grille, walking inside as they once again saw members of various species sitting around. Walking up to the counter at the bar, they saw Dom serving a drink to a panther. "Um, excuse me, Mr. DeSilva?" Judy asked. Dom turned his head and looked at her. "Yes?" he asked her as he walked over.

"Um, could we, perhaps, ask you a few more questions? About the previous threats that you've received. We're hoping that maybe we can find out more if we have information about the previous incidents," Judy explained. Dom nodded his head in understanding.

"Vincent, can you watch the bar counter for a little while?" Dom asked a panther with a scar over his right eye. "Sure, Boss," Vincent replied as he walked over to the bar area. Dom walked around and made his way up the stairs, motioning for the two officers to follow him.

After entering Dom's office, the monitor retrieved a large bag full of a envelopes and letters, along with a shiny piece of paper. Nick took the paper in his paw and saw that it was an advertisement for snake-skin boots and other items made from scaly hides. "Did someone send this to you?" Nick asked him. "No, it just offends me on general principals," Dom replied with a smirk.

"Well, we can't exactly arrest an advertisement catalogue for that," Nick said. "I know. I just wanted to be a little humorous," Dom said. "Right. Humorous," Nick said. "Is there anything else you can tell us about these incidents?" Judy asked him.

"Such as?" Dom asked her. "Time of day, time of year, anything like that?" she asked. "The ones at the bottom of the pile in that bag are the earliest, from when I was just starting up my bar. A lot of mammals were rather... distrusting of a large carnivorous reptile. I followed all of the regulations, and I have all of the permits, which I have renewed prior to their deadlines," Dom said.

"I have broken no laws, and yet many animals still see me as a menace. It doesn't help matters that I cater to just about anyone, including other species that society sees as being distrustful," Dom continued. "Where else will they go? Who else will serve them without watching them distrustfully? No one and nowhere," Dom told the officers, his voice taking on an angry tone.

"I put up with this crap for almost six years, and then, just as things calm down, that stupid sheep Bellwether goes and makes everyone distrustful of predators, and then everything starts heating up again. I've had plenty of vandalism and threats in the months since that Night Howler thing, but they were small and far between. This, though, this is like the beginning," Dom said.

"Did you ever report this to anyone when it first started?" Judy asked him. "Didn't I tell you yesterday about that? Well, at first, because where I came from, reptiles and mammals live together more harmoniously. Of course, here, mammals rule everything. After two years of no one doing anything, I just decided to grin and bear it," Dom said.

"It paid off after a while, but again, things are going downhill again. I guess... it was just frustration that led me to call the police this time. At least you're trying, but I doubt you'll be able to help me. Any evidence someone could have left was washed away by the rain, and those threats from before are years old. I am fairly certain that there's some kind of statute of limitations in regards to crimes and how long ago they were committed, right?" Dom asked, not entirely familiar with the more intricate aspects of Zootopia's legal system.

"Um... yeah, there is," Nick said. "Of course. So, where do we start? I mean, you must be anxious to ask me about each letter to get more information, right?" Dom asked them. "Of course! Anything you can tell us will help. We need all the information we can get," Judy responded enthusiastically.

"Well, let's begin," Dom said as Nick opened the bag and started taking out the letters and photos. The interview with Dom went on for nearly two hours before they were finished. Judy had to swap out a memory stick in her carrot pen twice and had nearly three note pads full of notes by the time she and Nick had left the bar.

"Well," Nick said as he got in his seat, "I'd say that was interesting." "I know! Can you believe how much information we have now?" Judy responded as she pulled the cruiser out of the parking lot and drove back onto a main road. "Well, I'm still not sure if it'll help, though. It's entirely possible that each threat was made by a different individual," Nick said.

"Even so, it's proof that there's unlawful harassment, and as police, it's our job to make ALL citizens of Zootopia feel safe, not just other mammals or prey," Judy stated. "So, what are you gonna do if we find the culprit? Give them the speech on how it's wrong to discriminate?" Nick asked her.

"Nick? Why are you acting like this? We have a case of someone being wrongfully harassed and victimized by prejudice!" Judy said. "Come on, Carrots. We both know that even if we find something, nothing will come of it. The harassment will continue, and it might even get worse simply as retaliation for him involving the police," Nick said with a sigh.

He could still remember his youth when he had tried to get the police to help him when he was being brutalized by others, and they did nothing. He could remember being locked up in a holding cell at least three different times for simply being a fox in the wrong place at the wrong time, i.e. any nice neighborhoods at any time of day. He remembered how police treatment got worse the older he got.

He remembered his mom crying over his bruises when she saw them as he came home from school, and after he was released from a jail cell one night, even though he hadn't done anything wrong. He remembered how the police did nothing when his home had been robbed, and all of the money his mother had saved up was gone. They couldn't afford a bank account, because none of the banks in Zootopia would lend or hold money for foxes. The only ones that did were then closed down on trumped-up charges and false allegations. Foxes like him and mother had no choice but to hide their money in their homes.

He remembered once encountering a young Thomas McHorn, who actually showed him some sympathy, but being a rookie meant that McHorn's older and bigoted partner had the final say in Nick's treatment when they booked him one night for absolutely nothing. McHorn did manage to get Nick released the following morning by pointing out that his partner had not followed procedure, but that was the only time Nick had ever encountered a decent police officer... until he met Judy, anyway.

"Trust me, Carrots, things might be changing for the better, but it's gonna be slow change, and stuff like this will never truly go away," Nick said bitterly. "Do you... wanna talk about it?" Judy asked him. "Maybe some day, but not right now," Nick replied as he glanced at her. "Just remember, Nick, you can talk to me if you need to," Judy said in a comforting tone. "Thanks," Nick replied, genuinely grateful for his friend's offer.

"Oh! There's a party store up ahead," Judy said. "Um, what?" Nick asked her. "I promised Clawhauser that I'd stop and get him something," Judy said as she pulled into a right lane and turned onto the road that led to a large parking lot for a large selection of shops and stores next to each other.

Judy parked the cruiser in front of the party store. "This won't take long," Judy said as she hopped out of the cruiser and entered the store. "Now, did she mean that in normal terms or in female terms?" Nick asked himself.

* * *

**An Hour Later...**

"Stop that," Anderson said as Johnson waved a donut in front of Benjamin Clawhauser's sleeping form. "I just wanna see if he's really sleeping," Johnson whispered back to him. "No, he's sleeping, now either put the donut back or eat it," Anderson whispered. Johnson turned to retort when Anderson pointed at something behind him.

The lion looked back and saw Judy and Nick walking towards them. Judy had a shopping bag wrapped up under her arm, while Nick had a large plastic bag in his paws. "Hey guys," Judy said with a wave. "Hey Claw..." Judy trailed off when she saw the feline sleeping. "Oh," she finished.

"Yeah, he's... been like this for a while," Anderson said. "How long is a while?" Nick asked the polar bear. "Well, I guess about an hour, maybe longer," Anderson replied. Nick looked at Clawhauser's desk. The coffee cup from earlier was completely empty, and there was a half-eaten donut laying next to the cheetah's phone.

"He looks so peaceful," Nick commented. "I guess I was too late," Judy said. "I know. He was a good officer, but he shall not be forgotten," Nick said. "Anderson, what would you say was the time of death of our poor friend Clawhauser?" Nick asked playfully. Anderson snorted. "Fine, be that way. We'll let the coroner tell us," Nick said with a smirk.

Judy walked around to the opening of the front desk and slipped her shopping bag down by Clawhauser's feet before walking back around. "Come on, Nick. We have to started on our report," Judy said as she started walking down the hallway. "Coming," Nick said as he jogged after her.

When the two officers were out of ear-shot, Johnson looked back over and Anderson. "You still think they're together?" the lion asked the polar bear. "Not yet, but they will be. They get along so well. Give them another year or two," Anderson said. "No. The bet was by the end of this month. If they aren't together by then, I get twenty from you," Johnson retorted with a smirk. "We'll see," Anderson said.

Meanwhile, Judy and Nick had gotten into the elevator to take them up to the floor where the office cubicles were located. Walking into the main office area, Nick saw the odd wolf from that morning sitting at a desk, typing away. There was something curious about her scent, Nick noted. He made his way over to her and leaned against her cubicle wall.

"Uh, hi," Nick said, putting on his charming act. The female looked at him curiously. "Hello... Officer Wilde. It is Wilde, right?" she asked him. "Yes. Yes, that's right," Nick replied. Judy watched the interplay between the two with brief curiosity before sitting down at her desk to begin her report. Except that Nick still had the the evidence with him. She sighed and got up before walking over to Nick.

"So, you're from the Third Precinct?" Nick asked the female. "Yes. Officer Cynthia Furrero," she said. "Furrero, huh? That's a nice name," Nick said. "Thank you, Wilde. So, you're Zootopia's first fox officer?" Cynthia asked him. "Yep," Nick answered with a smile. "Well, I'm one of Zootopia's first hybrid officers," Cynthia said. "Hybrid? Is that what they're calling transfers these days?" Nick asked her. "No, no. I mean, I'm a coywolf," Cynthia explained.

"Oh. Part coyote and part wolf," Nick said. "Yes. And I have to say, Savannah Central is a nicer place than Tundra Town. Nicer weather, less heavy uniforms, and greener pastures," she said with a smile. "Well, I should hope they'd be greener than Tundra Town's pastures," Nick joked.

"So, about this morning, I want to apologize for the others' behavior," Cynthia said. "It's... it's nothing new. Don't worry about it," Nick said. "That doesn't make it right," Cynthia said. "No, no it doesn't, but I'm used to it," Nick said. "Well, hopefully they'll come around after being here for a while. We're all on the same team, right?" Cynthia said.

"Yeah, that's right," Nick said. He heard a faked cough behind him. "Huh? Oh, Carrots. What's up?" Nick asked Judy. "Nick, we still need to do our reports. And you have the evidence from Dom's office with you. We need to get started," Judy said. "Right," Nick said reluctantly. "Well, I guess I'll see you later," Nick said as he walked over to his desk and sat down.

"Yeah. I'll see you later. Probably tomorrow at the morning briefing," Cynthia said with a smile before she sat down and resumed working on her daily report. Nick smiled at himself as he sat down and handed the bag of letters to Judy. "So, what was that all about?" Judy asked him.

"What, my conversation with Officer Furrero? I just wanted to get to know our new coworkers better. Is that so wrong?" Nick replied. "No, but I think you were doing more than just that," Judy said. "Well, I haven't met a whole lot of other female canines working here," Nick said as he logged into his computer. "You have a point there, but try to stay focused on our case until our shift is over," Judy said. "Yes, Carrots," Nick said while rolling his eyes.

* * *

Chief Bogo finished filling out a request form when he heard a knock on the door. "Come in," he said. "Um, hi, Chief?" Bogo looked up to see Clawhauser tiredly standing in the doorway.

"Yes, Clawhauser?" Bogo asked him. "Um, listen, could I [yawn] please have off tomorrow? I-I need some time to sleep after pulling what's basically been a triple shift," Clawhauser said pleadingly. "Sure. Has your replacement arrived yet?" Bogo asked him. "Yeah, she's downstairs at the desk right now. I just... I wanted to ask you before you left tonight," Clawhauser said.

"Sure. Just grab a form and fill it out right here. I'll put Burns on your shift tomorrow. It'll give him time to finish some paperwork he needs to hand in," Bogo said. "Thank you, sir," Clawhauser said as he grabbed a spare form and began filling it out. "Here you go," Clawhauser said three minutes later. Bogo took the form and signed it.

"Any word yet from Pelton and the CSI team about the vehicle he found near the Happytown transitional tunnel?" Bogo asked Clawhauser. "Uh... nothing that I'm aware of. He said that the driver was dead, but there's been no change in status. I'm pretty sure that they all got back from the scene an hour ago. Forensics will be heading back out there tomorrow," Clawhauser said.

"Good. Now, go home... wait, actually, I think you should get a ride from someone, especially with how tired you," Bogo said. "Find out who lives near you and have them drive you home," Bogo said firmly. "Yes sir," Clawhauser said before leaving the room. Bogo returned his attention to the other form in his hooves. "Now, where was I at?" he asked himself.


	3. Vandalism Is Bad, Mm'kay?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Nick and Judy finish their investigation with Dom, a robbery takes place in Downtown Savanna Central.

Disclaimer: Zootopia is owned by Disney

* * *

**Vandalism Is Bad, Mm'kay?**

* * *

Date: Thursday, April 5th, 2017 

When Judy Hopps entered the front doors of the Zootopia Police Department, she saw Lieutenant Milton Lisker talking to Benjamin Clawhauser, who looked refreshed and joyful, instead of tired and burned out. Having a whole day off to sleep had actually done him some good. "Morning Clawhauser, Lisker," Judy said as she walked up to the two predators.

"Good morning, Officer Hopps," Lisker said politely with a nod of his head. "Morning, Judy," Clawhauser said with a friendly smile. "Hey, Ben, I saw Nick's car outside. Do you know where he's at right now?" Judy asked Clawhauser. "Uh, not really. He came in, said hello, and then went on back," Clawhauser replied.

"Huh. I thought for sure he'd be waiting here for me," Judy said, perplexed. "Maybe he's in the bathroom. He only arrived about fifteen minutes before you," Clawhauser said. "Thanks, I'll be sure to check," Judy said. Lisker raised an eyebrow. "Well, you know, stand outside and wait," Judy said with a chuckle as she walked on back into the hallway.

"There's more than one set of bathrooms back that way. Are you sure that she'll find the right one?" Lisker asked the cheetah. "Eh, Judy's always had this great sense of intuition. Personally, I think she'll make a fine detective one day," Clawhauser replied. "Hmm, I suppose so," Lisker said with a nod of his head.

Meanwhile, marching through the hallway, Judy saw Cynthia Furrero exiting the females' bathroom. "Officer Furrero, have you seen Nick-I mean, Officer Wilde, around here?" Judy asked the coywolf. "Wilde? No, not yet. Why?" Furrero asked the rabbit. "I'm just looking for him is all. He normally waits for me by the front desk, but he wasn't there when I arrived," Judy explained.

"Hmm, maybe he just hasn't arrived yet," Furrero suggested. "His car is parked outside," Judy said as she shook her head. "Oh. Maybe he's in the briefing room?" Furrero suggested. "I highly doubt that," Judy said. "Well, that's where I'm heading right now, so if I see him, I'll let him know that you're looking for him," Furrero said.

"Thanks," Judy said as the coywolf walked away. Judy spent the next fifteen minutes looking for Nick before finally entering the briefing room. Scanning the room, she didn't see a hint of Nick anywhere. Feeling confused, and slightly worried, Judy made her way over to her and Nick's shared seat, right next to McHorn.

"Psst, hey, McHorn," Judy said. "Yeah?" he asked her groggily. "Have you seen Nick at all this morning?" Judy asked him. "Wilde? No, can't say I have," McHorn replied with a shrug. "Huh, that's odd," Judy said as she turned away from McHorn and rubbed the bottom of her jaw in deep thought.

Judy was soon brought out of her thought when the door opened and Nick entered the room, followed by Chief Bogo. Nick quietly sat down next to Judy. "Nick, where were you this morning?" Judy asked him. "Good morning to you too," Nick said with a sigh. "Sorry. Good morning, Nick, but where were you at? I was looking for you all over the station," Judy whispered to him.

"I was talking to Bogo," Nick said tiredly. "About what?" Judy asked him curiously. "It's not important," Nick said. "Are you serious?" Judy asked him in disbelief. "Fine, I'll tell you later," Nick whispered back, just as Chief Bogo cleared his throat. "Alright, everyone settle down. Pelton, you have patrol duty again, this time in Sahara Square. Burns, you have patrol duty near the entrance to the Canal District. You'll be getting in touch with the Fourth Precinct there," Bogo said.

"Right," Burns said, nodding his head. "Benezio, you and Woolsworth are on patrol in Downtown. Hornwitz and Statham are on parking duty today, and Whittaker and Chaney are on patrol in the Rainforest district. Hopps and Wilde, your reports are due today, and I will give you an assignment after I receive them," Bogo said.

Bogo then continued handing out assignments, dismissing his officers once he was done. After everyone else had left the briefing room, Judy and Nick approached him. "Sir, we still haven't found the animal responsible for the harassment and vandalism of Dom's bar," Judy said. "Harassment?" Bogo asked her questioningly.

"Yes, sir," Judy replied. "I should have figured there was more to this. A simple case of vandalism doesn't take a whole week to write a report on. All you had to do was take a statement," Bogo said. "But, Chief, this has happened before," Judy protested. "And? A lot of bars have graffiti sprayed on them by vandals. It isn't uncommon," Bogo retorted.

"Actually, what Officer Hopps is referring to is the harassment, evidenced by the threatening letters and messages left behind by the vandals," Nick said. "Threats? Why didn't you mention this earlier?" Bogo asked them sternly. "We were still working on figuring out who could have done it," Judy said.

Bogo sighed. "Sir, these threats have been made to the owner before, and property was damaged. An animal's safety is at risk," Judy stated. "He's a lizard. If he loses something, I'm sure he'll grow it back," Bogo muttered. " _Chief!_ " Judy gasped. "That-that kind of attitude doesn't help! I've studied the threats and looked over my notes on Mr. DeSilva's statements," Judy said. "Yes, but I think you misspelled his name," Bogo said. "It's DaSilva, with an 'a'," Bogo clarified.

"Well, actually, that's the way his name is spelled on his official immigration papers," Judy said. "Immigration?" Bogo asked her. "Well, yes. I looked up Mr. DeSilva's records to find out more about when he established his eatery to see if I could find any more patterns to the threats, and one link led to another and I discovered that he's an immigrant," Judy said.

"Huh. I thought he had an accent of some kind," Nick commented thoughtfully. "Look, what does the lizard being an immigrant have to do with anything?" Bogo asked Judy. "I was just explaining why his name was spelled with an 'e' instead of an 'a'," Judy replied. "Look, fine, but just hand in the report by noon, understood?" Bogo said.

"Understood, sir," Judy replied. "Wilde?" Bogo asked him. "Huh? Oh, of course. Understood," Nick said with a salute and a smirk. The fox and rabbit quickly exited the briefing room as Bogo rubbed his temples in frustration.

* * *

Officers Lorenzo Woolsworth and Furmington Benezio watched as various animals went about their business in Zootopia's Downtown District. Woolsworth was eating a bag of veggie chips, and Benezio was chewing on a fish sandwich. Things had been quiet so far, and nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.

"It's been an hour. We're moving onto the next patrol spot," Woolsworth said as he cleaned up his hooves. "Wait... hold on," Benezio said as he looked ahead. "What? Do you see something?" Woolsworth asked the tiger. "Yeah. I see four animals, two antelope, an oryx, and a white-tail deer, putting on ski masks and wearing some heavy work jackets," Benezio said with a grin.

"They ain't skiing," Woolsworth said as he looked in the same direction that Benezio was looking. "No, but I bet that the jewelry in that store is worth a lot of money," Benezio said, his voice full of anticipation. "I'm gonna call in for backup," Woolsworth said. "You do that, but we'll have it taken care of by the time backup arrives," Benezio said. "It's safer to wait for backup to arrive, that way we can outnumber them and force them to surrender," Woolsworth said.

"Or we can stop them before they hole up inside the store," Benezio said. Woolsworth grunted before calling the station. "This is cruiser number Seven-Gamma-Nine-Six, We have suspicious animals on-" Woolsworth looked up after hearing the door to the cruiser open and watched with wide eyes as Benezio slowly walked over to the store that the four animals had just entered. "Suspcious animals, wearing concealing-clothing, have just entered Fielding's Jewelry Galleria on Schifrin Street," Woolsworth said.

"Officer Benezio is moving in to intercept, requesting backup," Woolsworth said. " _Ten-Four, this is dispatch to cruiser Seven-Gamma-Nine-Six. We are sending backup your way, over,_ " Clawhauser said over the radio. "Ten-Four," Woolsworth replied.

Meanwhile, just outside the entrance of the store, Benezio looked over at a window to see that the four animals were forcing several other animals to the ground. There were three zebra, one hippo, two gazelle, four capybara's, and a single onager*, who was standing behind the counter. The leader of the group, the white-tail deer buck, was pointing his antlers at the onager.

"Come on, make it easy and give us the money, and half of the stuff in the case," the buck said to the equine. "O-Okay. Just... just let me get it," the onager said as he slowly lowered himself into a crouching position. "Hey, both hooves where I can see them," the buck growled. The onager gulped and nodded his head nervously.

With this going on, Benezio slowly inched over to the door, carefully watching the animals as they kept their hooves in their jackets. Two of them, the oryx and one of the antelope, held knives in their hooves, while the third one had something else. The one antelope turned his head and his eyes widened as he caught sight of Benezio.

"The cops are already here!" the antelope called out. The deer turned back to the onager in rage. "I told you not to do anything!" the buck yelled at the stallion. "I didn't! I swear!" the onager cried out fearfully. "You two! Grab everything and put it in the bags!" the deer ordered the two holding knives. They began kicking at the displays and knocking them over, breaking the glass. "Kick the glass to the door!" the buck shouted at them.

Benezio quickly slid back and made his way around an alley that led to the back entrance of the store, picking the lock and slipping inside in less than three minutes. Woolsworth, meanwhile, remained outside, his tranquilizer gun and stun-gun ready and trained on the front entrance of the store.

Back inside the halls of the building, Benezio slowly made his way over to the break room of the store and peered out through a crack in the door at the chaos. He formulated a plan in his head, and then looking up at the light switches next to him, smiled. _Let's see how they fare in the dark_ , he thought to himself.

When the lights all went out at once, the deer panicked. "What just happened!?" he yelled out. He heard a the whine of a door opening and turned just in time to see a tiger officer lunge at him, pushing him to the floor and decking him in the maw. Benezio leapt off of the deer and sprinted towards the oryx, kicking him back before taking his knife and throwing it at the leg of the knife-wielding antelope. The antelope fell down, holding his leg in pain.

The final antelope pulled a gun out of his jacket and aimed it at Benezio. "Freeze, or I'll shoot!" he yelled. "The safety's on," Benezio said with a grin. "No it's not," the antelope said as he opened fire. Benezio's eyes widened as he ducked behind a table, shocked that his tactic hadn't worked.

 _It's always worked before_ , he thought to himself. He reached down and grabbed a piece of broken glass, hissing when it cut into his paws, and lifted it up before throwing it at the gun-wielding antelope. The antelope hissed in pain as the glass hit one of his arms, cutting it.

"Ah, shit!" he swore as he grabbed at his arm, just before hearing a growl. He looked up in time to see Benezio launch himself at him, grabbing his wrist and yanking the gun out onto the floor. "My wrist! My wrist! Ow, ow!" the antelope cried. "Fuck your wrist," Benezio growled at him.

"I-I got rights, cat! This is police brutality!" the antelope snapped at him. "It's reasonable force, and you tried to shoot me. Everyone in here saw it," Benezio said with a grin. "And trust me, this isn't police brutality," he added darkly, flashing his fangs. The antelope looked into Benezio's eyes as the cat continued hurting his arm and wrist, and he saw something behind them, something that terrified him. He saw pleasure.

* * *

"Hey, Carrots," Nick began, "Did we remember to turn the radio on?" "Huh?" Judy asked as they drove out of the parking garage. "I mean, there are a lot of cars missing, and I'm seeing an ambulance speeding by right now towards downtown," Nick said as he looked around.

"Did we miss something?" he asked. "Um... apparently," Judy said, looking down at the transceiver that was turned off. "Okay, how did that happen?" Nick asked as he turned it back on. "This is cruiser number Seven-Alpha-Eight Nine to dispatch. We are just heading out for patrol, and are wondering if anything needs our attention, over," Nick said.

" _This is dispatch. There was a robbery in downtown, but it's been taken care of. Three of the five backup units are returning to their assigned patrol spots now. Sergeant Woolsworth is the Officer In Charge and has stated that the situation is now under control. Continue with your assigned patrol route, over._ " "Ten-Four. Continuing with our assigned patrol route, Clawhauser. Over," Nick said into the radio.

"Huh, so we did miss something," Judy said. "Yeah. The kind of action that you seem to love but never get to experience," Nick said with a grin. "Hey, I stopped a robber once!" Judy exclaimed. "Yeah, but was that the chase that led to us solving the Night Howler Case or was this a different robber that you stopped? A lot happened to you during my time at the academy," Nick replied.

"No, it... it was that one. The only one that I've ever been involved with," Judy said forlornly as she drove onto the main road and headed for the Rainforest District. "Don't feel too bad, Carrots. I'm sure you'll get something big one of these days," Nick said. " _Attention, this is dispatch to any units in the Rainforest District. We have a report of assault at Dom's Bar and Grille, any units available, please respond,_ " Clawhauser said over the radio.

Judy grabbed the radio. "Ten-Four, Clawhauser. This is cruiser Seven-Alpha-Eight-Nine. We're on our way," Judy said. " _Ten-Four. Unit Seven-Alpha-Eight-Nine is investigating the call. Dispatch out,_ " Clawhauser said over the radio. "Hey, Carrots?" Nick asked. "Yeah?" Judy replied. "Do we have anyone else doing dispatch duty other than Clawhauser?" Nick asked her curiously. "You know... I'm not sure," Judy replied after a minute of thought.

**Twenty Minutes Later, at Dom's Bar & Grille **

"Whoa, what the hell?" Nick asked out loud as Judy parked the cruiser in front of the bar. The sight that had caught Nick's attention was the large broken window and the busted OPEN sign in front of the door. "Nick, grab your taser, just to be safe," Judy said as she took in the damage to the front of the bar. There were several mammals standing around the front entrance, watching something inside.

The two cops exited the cruiser and carefully walked to the entrance, pushing past the spectators. "Excuse us, ZPD," Judy said as she pushed past several hyenas, foxes, capybara, and coypus. Taking in the sight, Nick curiously wondered just what hyenas were doing in the Rainforest District in the first place, but he quickly pushed that thought aside when he remembered that Dom's was one of the few places that didn't seem to discriminate against them... which also was why it was being targeted.

Making their way inside the eatery, Nick and Judy both looked stopped to look around at the scene in front of them. There was broken glass in several locations on tables and the floor, a brick was lying on the ground, several stools had been tipped over, various drinks were spilled, and there were trails of blood in certain spots. Judy followed one trail as her eyes set upon Dom, the Komodo Dragon, nursing a bleeding muzzle as he stood over an equally bloodied okapi.

Nick looked over to the side and saw another bloodied okapi, two bruised Sambar deer, and an unconscious jaguar. Standing around them were several hyenas, foxes, dholes, otters, and even a few leopards. The giant otter from their first visit, Marigold, stood near the jaguar with a frying pan in her paws and a scowl on her face. "Um... what... happened here?" Judy asked in astonishment. "What happened? I think it's bloody well obvious what happened," Dom said. "These here bastards broke one of my windows, damaged my sign, insulted my patrons, wrecked up my bar, and threatened to do it again if I didn't order everyone to leave," Dom said angrily.

"Well... that last part wasn't obvious," Nick said. "Stow it," Dom snapped at the fox. "At least you arrived, but could you please take these hair-balls away?" Dom asked them. "Well, who called in the assault?" Judy asked. "Does it matter? Cuff 'em now before they decide to run," Dom retorted with a hiss of pain before he plucked a small jagged piece of glass from the bottom of his lower jaw. "Ouch," he muttered.

"Okay. We'll take them in. I'm pretty sure we can have charges levied against them for the assault and destruction of... is this publicly owned land?" Judy asked. "What? No, I had to buy it since no one would rent to me," Dom said bitterly. "Cost me a fortune, and I just finished paying it all off two months ago," he added.

"Alright. But, we're also going to need witness statements from everyone who was here when this happened. Dom, if you have any functioning cameras installed, now is the time to give us access to their footage," Judy said. "Sure. Marigold, will you please go upstairs and get the... not tapes, but... ah, what's it called? The... those... uh, those... ah-ha! Those discs! And those memory sticks. And the tapes, too!" Dom said.

"You don't... need me down here?" Marigold asked, clutching the frying pan in her paws while glancing down at the unconscious jaguar lying on the ground. "It's okay. Go ahead. We'll need it to prove what happened here," Dom said. "No one will believe anything I say otherwise," he added quietly.

"That's not true," Judy said, having heard his words. "We'll have dozens of witness statements from everyone here, and that will certainly have an effect on any judges who head about this," Judy said confidently. Dom looked at her and raised an eyelid. "You... you really think that the court system will see my side? Have you forgotten just who you're taking statements from?" Dom asked her.

"What do you mean?" Judy asked him. "Officer Hopps, even if you collect a dozen witness statements, or two dozen, or three dozen, the fact remains that because those witnesses were the species that society distrusts, no one is going to care," Dom said sadly. "That isn't true," Judy said firmly.

"Yes, it is," Dom whispered. "No, it _isn't_. And I'm going to make _damn sure_ that justice is served and that you are compensated for the damage caused by these vandals," Judy said with an air of pride and authority about her. "Huh, you actually swore," Nick commented wryly. Looking out of the corner of his eye, Nick caught movement, and turned his head to see a set of large, tan ears moving towards a booth.

Catching sight of the smaller fox, Nick's eyes widened in recognition. "Finnick," he whispered to himself. The Fennec fox stopped walking and turned to look at Nick for a brief moment. The foxes stared at each other, studying the other's face, and then turned their eyes away. When Nick had announced his intention to join the ZPD, Finnick had thought he was joking, but when it actually happened, Finnick began to distance himself from the other fox.

After Nick's graduation, he had tried to contact Finnick. When Finnick asked if being a cop meant that Nick would bring him in if he caught him doing something, Nick had, reluctantly said yes. Finnick had offered to let Nick help him with hustling, but Nick had refused. Finnick soon broke contact with Finnick, with both friends agreeing to at least catch up once a month somewhere.

Currently, Finnick had a black eye and a limp to his walk, along with some scratches on his shirt and some blood on his cheeks, indicating that he had participated in fighting against the instigators. "Nick, go outside and call for another cruiser. We'll need to get at least another officer or two here for everybody's statements," Judy said. "Carrots, I think we can get to them on our own. We have the time," Nick replied.

"Is that jaguar gonna be all right?" Judy asked. "Who cares? He threatened Marigold," Dom retorted with a snort. "So, when did the fighting start?" Nick asked Dom. "When the jaguar threatened Marigold," Dom replied. "Wait... did you take on all of these guys by yourself?" Nick asked the Komodo monitor.

"Marigold knocked out the jaguar, and then the others tried to attack her. Vincent has off today, so I defended her on my own until you arrived," Dom said. Looking him over, Nick and Judy saw that his shirt was torn in a few places, and there were some lacerations around his arms and on his neck. "Those scratch marks; are they from broken glass?" Judy asked him. "Nothing gets by you, little rabbit," Dom said with a dry smile.

"Ohh... my leg," someone groaned. Nick and Judy looked over to see one of the sambar deer groaning. "Huh? Oh, the cops! Officers, that lizard is a menace! Arrest him!" the buck said.

Nick and Judy both raised an eyebrow at the buck. "Well, what are you waiting for!? Cuff that pair of boots!" the deer said indignantly. "Pair... of boots?" Nick asked him. "That's a new one," he muttered. "Why should we cuff him?" Judy asked, silently preparing her carrot pen recorder. "He attacked us! My friends and I came in here for some drinks and he lashed out at us! He's a mindless reptile!" the deer exclaimed.

"Uh-huh, and do you and your friends come here often?" Judy asked him. "What? Of course not! Why would we go somewhere that's run by a lizard!?" the deer asked. "Well, you're in here right now. Care to explain that?" Judy asked him. The deer's eyes widened. "Uh... um..." "That's what I thought," Judy said with a smirk.

"Okay, those of you who saw what happened, please remain here for witness statements. Officer Hopps and I will pay for your drinks or meals," Nick said. "Nick!" Judy whispered. "What, it's a small price to pay," Nick said. "Yes, but we could be accused of bribing the witnesses if we do that," Judy said. "Oh. I hadn't thought of that," Nick said. "Okay, we'll just pay to cover any meals or drinks that were damaged or lost during the confrontation," Nick announced.

A young female gray fox raised a paw. "Um... I had a chicken sandwich that the okapi over there slapped Mr. DeSilva in the face with. I'd like to have a new one," she said. "Mr. DeSilva, is this true? Did this okapi give you the bird?" Nick asked him. "What? No, he slapped me with a sand-oh. Ha. Ha. Ha. You're _hilarious_ ," Dom said sarcastically.

"So, he did slap you with a sandwich, though? Is that correct?" Nick asked him. "Yes. He did. It was half-eaten, too," Dom replied. "A half-eaten... well, that's just rude," Nick commented with a grin. "I'll say," Judy chimed in.

* * *

**Later, at the Station**

"You have twenty-three witness testimonies and security footage showing the confrontation from beginning to your arrival. I must say, I am actually impressed," Bogo said as Judy and Nick sat in front of his desk. "Thank you, sir!" Judy chirped, beaming with pride in her work. "Good job. Now, finish up your reports and then go home," Bogo said.

"Yes sir," Judy said as she and Nick got up and walked out of the cape buffalo's office. "Feel that, Nick? That's pride in your work," Judy said with a bright smile. "Well, you know what? I... actually do feel like I accomplished something. Especially after I gave that young vixen a new sandwich," Nick said.

"See? You made a difference," Judy said. "I wouldn't go that far," Nick said. "But it's true," Judy protested as they made their way to the office area. "Carrots, buying someone a sandwich isn't exactly what I would call making a difference," Nick retorted. "So? That young vixen trusted you, Nick. They all trusted us to believe them and make sure that justice is served! That's how we made a difference," Judy explained, pride swelling in her body.

"I... guess so," Nick said. He wasn't used to feeling good about himself, and he wasn't used to having pride in himself. As they entered the office area, they saw Benezio talking to Lisker by the former's desk. "And you should have seen his eyes. He was scared shitless," Benezio said with a grin. Lisker chuckled.

"Hey, Benezio! We heard about what happened today," Judy exclaimed with a smile. "Good job on stopping that robbery," she said as she held a paw up. Benezio reached down and tapped her paw with his own. "Thanks. Just... doing what I can," Benezio said with a smile.

While Judy didn't pay much attention to it, Nick saw something in that smile that unnerved him and set him on edge. No one seemed to notice Nick's minute shift, although when Officer Furrero appeared, Nick's discomfort seemed to disappear. "Hey, Furrero, did you hear about what Benezio did today?" Judy asked the coywolf.

"Everyone's heard about it," Cynthia replied with a snort. "Aw, don't feel jealous," Lisker said to her. "I'm sure you'll get your chance one day, too," he added. "Thanks," Cynthia replied sardonically. Nick walked over to her. "So, Furrero, how are you finding things so far here in the First Precinct?" Nick asked her.

Cynthia Furrero looked at him strangely. "Things are... fine, I guess," she replied. "That's... that's good," Nick said with a nod. "Say, does offering to pay for someone's meal count as bribery?" Nick asked her. "What?" Cynthia asked him. "Earlier today, I offered to pay for some witnesses' meals if they cooperated, and Carrots told me that we could be accused of bribing witnesses by doing that. I just wanted to know if that's true," Nick explained.

"Technically... yes," Cynthia replied. "I see," Nick said. "I certainly hope that you didn't actually buy anyone a meal or a drink," Cynthia said. "No, no, Carrots stopped me," Nick said. "Good. Hey, Wilde, why do you call Officer Hopps 'Carrots'?" Cynthia asked him curiously. "Um... I just... do," he said. "Is she okay with it?" Cynthia asked him. "She hasn't complained about it," Nick replied.

"I guess that means she's okay with it," Cynthia said. "Most likely," Nick said. "Well, I've got a report to type up, and I'm sure that you and Officer Hopps have one as well," Cynthia said before walking over to her desk cubicle. Nick turned around and noticed Lisker watching him with a smirk on his face. Lisker turned away and resumed talking with Judy.

"Hey, Carrots, I guess it's about time we started on our report, eh?" Nick asked her. "Huh? Oh, sure!" Judy replied before turning to look at Benezio. "It was nice talking to you, Benezio. You too, Lisker," Judy said. "Pleasure's mine," Lisker said with a smile and a nod before he walked away. Benezio walked over to his cubicle and Judy made her way back over to hers.

"So, what did you learn about Benezio's little stunt today?" Nick asked her as he began typing up his report. "If you wanted to know, you could just ask him yourself," Judy replied as she logged onto her computer. "True, but it would be awkward now, after things have died down," Nick replied.

"Then why didn't you ask him earlier?" Judy asked him. "Well, I was kind of busy talking to Furrero," Nick replied. "About what?" Judy asked him. "Whether or not buying a witness a meal counts as bribery. She said that it does," Nick replied. "I told you so," Judy said with a grin. "Yes, you were right and I was wrong. I admit it," Nick said. "Are you happy now?" he asked Judy.

" _You were right and I was wrong. You were right and I was wrong,_ " Nick heard. He looked over to see Judy holding her carrot pen with a shit-eating grin plastered on her face. "You aren't gonna let that one go, are you?" he asked her. " _You were right and I was wrong._ "

"Fine. Now, come on, let's get these reports finished," Nick said. Judy snickered before getting down to business. From that point on, the only sounds in the room were the stroking of keys and the occasional questions from the two officers concerning minor details about their witnesses and conflicting statements.

* * *

**Later That Night, in the Canal District**

A ram wearing a heavy jacket and a ball cap looked at his watch as he leaned against a large shipping container. "Come on, where are they?" he whispered to himself. He soon heard tapping on the cement near the other side of the container. He looked over and saw a shadowy figure walking towards him with a large coat. The animal was a wolf.

"Did you bring it?" the wolf asked the ram. "Of course," the ram replied as he retrieved two bags of cocaine and one bag of heroin from inside his jacket. "Damn. I didn't actually think you would come through," the wolf said. "Have I ever let you down before?" the ram asked him.

"No. Not yet, Leo," the wolf replied. "Don't use my name," the ram said threateningly. "Sorry, sorry," the wolf apologized. "These needles... they clean?" the wolf asked as he looked at the set of needles next to the heroin. "Cleaner than soap," the ram replied with a grin.

The wolf reached into his pockets and pulled out two large stacks of money. "These weren't easy to come by," the wolf said. "I know. Where's the next delivery taking place and when?" the ram asked him. "Two months from now, near the Rainforest District. I got a guy named Sal who's workin' with some lizard out in Reptaelia to bring the shipments in," the wolf replied.

"Is he trustworthy?" the ram asked him. "Yeah, you can trust him," the wolf said. "And the lizard? Who's that?" the ram asked him. "I don't know the name. Just that he's big and mean," the wolf replied. "Hey, what time is the next shipment?" the ram asked him. "I wasn't told," the wolf replied. "Say, where did you get ahold of these anyway?" the wolf asked the ram.

"That's none of your concern. Just be glad that I brought it instead of arresting you," the ram replied. "Right, I forgot that part. Thanks again," the wolf said before he began walking away from the ram and disappearing into the night. "Yeah, you're welcome," the ram said as he counted the money in his hooves with a smile before he silently made his way out of the docks and back over to a sidewalk, where he flagged down a taxi to take him home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *An onager is a type of wild donkey, also known as the Asiatic Wild Ass.
> 
> You wanted to know that.


	4. Vigilante Justice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A month after the death of Vanderbelt, a number of criminals (and innocent associates) start dying under mysterious and violent circumstances.

Disclaimer: Zootopia is property of Disney

* * *

**Vigilante Justice**

* * *

Date: Thursday, May 5th, 2017 

Outside of a court house in Savanna Central, two male lions, the Fasa brothers, walked over to their luxury sports car, a shiny red 2000 SUX, followed by their lawyer, an alpaca named Henry Dillon. "Thanks for your help, Henry," Mugal Fasa, who had a golden mane, said with a smirk. His brother, Salizar Fasa, had a black mane.

"Yeah, even though we probably didn't need it," Salizar said as he got into the car on the passenger side. Henry glared at them. "Well, you know, who's going to believe a slut hyena over two honest lions?" Mugal asked with a chuckle as he got into the driver's seat. "Let's have lunch tomorrow," Mugal suggested as he started the engine and pulled the car out of the lot, entering traffic on the main road.

After getting onto the freeway, Salizar and Mugal both let out a series of boisterous laughs at their victory. "That girl actually believed she had a chance against us! What a moron," Salizar cackled. "We told her to stay quiet, and look how much trouble she's gotten herself in. Now everyone thinks that she's a dirty liar," Mugal said with a sneer.

"Of course," Salizar said as he looked out at the traffic around them. "I bet you we could keep her quiet for good," Salizar said with a grin. "We could do that, or we could let her live with her shame," Mugal responded. "We could let her do that for a while, and then put her out of her misery after she's suffered enough," Salizar said with a smile.

"I like that idea," Mugal said. "Do we have fun with her again first, though? I mean, it's the least we could do, let her feel good one last time before she dies," Mugal suggested. "You can have fun with her first, and I'll rip her throat out afterward," Salizar said with a smile.

"When do we do it?" Mugal asked him. "Probably after a month or so, maybe next week. I still have her phone number. We can play with her that way; work her up before we find her again," Salizar replied. "She's probably had that number changed by now," Mugal said with a frown. "You're probably right," Salizar said.

Mugal looked in the side-view mirror and frowned a little as he saw a traffic cop on a motorcycle behind them. "There's a cop behind us," Mugal said with a frown. Salizar looked in the back window. "It's just a traffic cop. This is probably one of his routes," Salizar said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"You're right. I'm just a little jumpy," Mugal said. "Jumpy? We won the case, and that girl is probably wallowing in shame and misery right now, like she deserves for not keeping her stupid mouth shut," Salizar said. Mugal nodded his head as he kept driving. After a minute, the cop sped up and kept pace at their side.

The wolf looked at them and Mugal saw him use his paw to make a gesture for them to pull over. "I can't pull over here, there's no shoulder on this part of the road," Mugal grumbled as he saw a ramp that led to a grassy forested area near a park. He put on his turn signal and flashers before taking the ramp and making his way to the side of the road where he slowly pulled over, keeping the engine running and his foot on the brake.

The traffic cop parked his bike just a little ways behind theirs and slowly walked up to them after dismounting. He put on two black gloves before rapping his knuckles against the driver's side window. Mugal reluctantly lowered the window and looked at the cop. It was a wolf, who was wearing a white helmet with aviator sunglasses.

"Do you mind shutting off the engine?" the wolf requested. "Well, sir, I'd rather keep it on so we can leave quicker when-" "Please, turn off the engine and put the car in park," the officer requested firmly. "Sir, I just-" "Put. The car. In park," the officer reiterated firmly. "Yes sir," Mugal said as he put the car in park. "Happy?" he asked the cop. "Turn off the engine," the cop said. "But-" "Just do what he says," Salizar interjected.

Mugal grumbled in compliance and shut off the engine, leaving the keys in the ignition. He looked back at the cop with a frown. "There. The engine's turned off," Mugal said. "Good. Now, license and registration, please," the officer requested. "Hold on," Mugal said as he reached into his pocket to retrieve his wallet. He had Salizar fish the registration out of the glove compartment.

"Here," Mugal said quietly as he handed the card and paper to the cop. The cop took them and walked over to his bike. Looking back at the car, the wolf pulled out a license scanner and ran the license through it. "Mugal Fasa," he said to himself. "Fasa brothers," he added with disgust as he remembered hearing about their trial and acquittal this morning.

 _More than enough evidence to be convicted... if their victim hadn't been a hyena. The court system failed to deliver justice, but I won't_ , the cop thought to himself as he checked his sidearm and his spare ammunition. He looked back over at the sports car and made sure that the two brothers weren't paying attention as he looked around and made sure that the streets were clear. He checked his watch. He had thirty minutes left to do this and return to the freeway to reach his next patrol spot.

Taking a breath, he attached his sound-suppressor to the barrel of his tranquilizer gun, using darts with the same special cocktail used in the killing of Reginald Vanderbelt the previous month. "Who says that all snails are slow?" he quietly asked himself as he kept the gun loosely holstered while walking back to the sports car.

"Your license checks out," the cop said as he handed the license and registration back to the lion. "Thank you. Now, may I please know why you pulled us over?" Mugal asked him. "You crossed a line," the cop replied. "What? That's it? Where at?" Mugal asked. "Not where, but when," the cop said as he swiftly placed his left paw on his gun.

"Okay, when did I cross a line?" the lion asked indignantly. "You both crossed it four months ago," the cop said as he gripped the gun. "What? Four months ago? What are you-" "When you both took turns raping that hyena," the cop said with a snarl. "What the fuck!? Who gives a shit about a stupid hyena!?" Salizar asked.

"Yeah, so what?" Mugal asked him. "We were just proven innocent this morning, so what the hell is your problem?" Salizar asked darkly. "That wasn't a real trial, and no justice was served," the cop said as he mentally counted down. "If the court proving us innocent isn't justice, then what is, Mister High and Mighty?" Mugal asked.

"This," the cop replied as he quickly removed the gun from its holster and fired, hitting Mugal in the throat and Salizar in the chest. Both lions began hyperventilating. "W-What the fu-" Mugal never finished his sentence as his heart stopped and he slumped to the side against his brother, who was only seconds behind him, staring with wide eyes at the wolf before death claimed him as well.

The cop smiled to himself and removed the sound suppressor before re-holstering his gun and walking away. He quickly hid the suppressor and mounted his bike, heading back onto the freeway and merging into traffic. He hadn't noticed the weasel who was quietly cleaning his new scooter in an alley just a yard away on the other side of the street.

* * *

**Later That Afternoon...**

"I hate parking duty," Cynthia Furrero grumbled as she drove her Meter-Mobile, as Nicholas Wilde had officially dubbed the specially colored patrol car, through the streets of Savanna Central. "Sure, Bogo, assign me to cover this section of the district by myself, and let Hooper take just a small section. Sexist bastard," Cynthia grumbled as she made a right turn onto the street, with the park area on her left.

She saw the luxury sports car parked next to the grassy area. The closest parking meter was three spaces ahead of the car. "Well, what do we have here?" Cynthia asked herself quietly as she parked her Meter-Mobile. She made sure to look both ways before walking over to the parked car, seeing the two lions inside.

At first, she thought they were sleeping, but the fact that their eyes were open dismissed that thought, as well as they way they were positioned. Studying the scene further, Cynthia noticed that they weren't breathing. Grabbing her radio, she quickly called dispatch for emergency medical assistance. Ten minutes later, the ambulance had arrived, along with two squad cars and an unmarked black station wagon.

Stepping out of the black car was Lieutenant Milton Lisker, along with Chief Bogo. "Hey, Furrero, what's today's catch?" Lisker asked her with a chuckle before he took a better look at the red 2000 SUX. "Ooh, I think this car could feed two whole families for a month. Too bad the exterior and frame will break your teeth," Lisker joked as he walked forward and looked at the two dead lions inside.

"Hey... these guys look familiar," Bogo said. "Have we found any ID on them?" Lisker asked Cynthia. "The one was holding his wallet on his lap," Cynthia said. "And?" "I haven't touched it. I didn't want to contaminate the crime scene before forensics could get here," Cynthia replied. Lisker took a picture with his phone before he pulled a pair of blue latex gloves out of his pocket and slipped them on his paws before reaching in and grabbing the wallet, lifting it up to reveal the driver's license of Mugal Fasa.

"Heh, I knew it," Lisker said before he placed the wallet back on the lion's lap. "Knew what?" Bogo asked him. "Mugal and Salizar Fasa," Lisker said with a smirk. "You know them?" Bogo asked him. "No. But I did pull Salizar over for speeding once a few years back. I was filling in for an officer who had gotten sick, just after I'd wrapped up a month-long case," Lisker explained.

"Still, that's not why I recognize them this well," Lisker elaborated. "Have either of you heard of Melinda Fanguaro?" Lisker asked Cynthia and Bogo. "No, can't say that I have," Cynthia replied with a shake of her head. "Wait... that name sounds familiar. Where have I heard it?" Bogo asked himself. "Melinda Fanguaro is a nineteen-year old striped hyena. She currently attends the Lower Savanna Central Community College. Four months ago, she reported being raped by both Mugal and Salizar Fasa," Lisker explained.

"The fact that the case went forward at all is kind of shocking, though," Lisker said with a tone of disappointment in his voice. "Shocking? How?" Cynthia asked him. "Because she's a hyena, and they were lions. Had this taken place a year ago, she would've been ignored, but with a certain rabbit and fox officer making waves in the department and the eyes of the public, things have started to change. Certain perceptions are starting to change in places," Lisker said.

"Well, that's good, isn't it?" Cynthia asked him. "Yes, yes it is. Unfortunately, while the trial did go through, it was rushed, and the whole thing was rigged. Despite there being enough evidence from cameras, rape kits, and even testimony from three eye-witnesses to land a solid conviction, both brothers were acquitted this morning by the judge, who found them not guilty on a bullshit fringe technicality," Lisker explained.

"If this happened this morning, how do you know so much about it?" Cynthia asked him. "I've been following the case for a while in my spare time. I've dealt with a few rape cases in the past, nasty ones too, so these things tend to catch my attention," Lisker said. "Oh. I didn't know," Cynthia replied. "I trust that you've only been following this in your off-time, Lieutenant?" Bogo asked him.

"Of course," Lisker replied. "Very well," Bogo said as he turned to look at the dead lions again, carefully studying the scene of the crime. "This... seems familiar," Bogo said. "You mean... like the pulled-over car from last month?" Lisker asked him. "Yeah. Very similar, isn't it? A pulled-over vehicle, dead criminals connected to horrific crimes, and an unknown method of execution," Bogo said.

"Vanderbelt, right?" Cynthia asked. "Huh?" Bogo replied. "The name of the first victim was Reginald Vanderbelt, wasn't it?" she asked again. "Yeah, I think so," Bogo replied. "He was a pimp who was linked by DNA evidence to the murders of three prostitutes, and the two Fasa brothers here were, as Lieutenant Lisker said, almost certainly guilty of committing rape. In both cases, the victims of the criminals were female," Cynthia said thoughtfully.

Lisker raised an eyebrow at her, but otherwise said nothing. She wasn't aware that Reginald Vanderbelt had also murdered two male couriers who had worked for him, although their bodies had technically never been found. "So... are you suggesting that some kind of crusader is out there, attacking males who commit heinous crimes against females?" Lisker asked her.

"No. I didn't say that at all. Besides, without a third case to cement any real patterns, the similarities between these two incidents could very well be a matter of coincidence," Cynthia replied. "I see. Well, I guess you should finish up your meter duty and prepare a report for both the day and your discovery of this. Leave nothing out, Furrero," Lisker said.

"Of course... sir," Cynthia said as she walked away. Lisker watched her as she eventually returned to her Meter-Mobile. "We could have asked her more questions about the scene of the crime when she had arrived," Bogo said. "We don't know the time of death yet. They could have been here long before she arrived, and anyone else could have tampered with the scene in that time," Lisker replied. "Still, perhaps if she had seen other animals around or had noticed any unusual activity or vehicles entering or leaving the area when she had arrived; those would have been important questions to ask her," Bogo said as the Meter-Mobile drove off.

* * *

Date: Friday, May 6th, 2017 

On the outskirts of Sahara Square, a pool party was being thrown by several cape foxes, most of whom were guests of the host, a mob enforcer named Charlie Gringwald. Gringwald reclined back in his chair as he watched his guests frolic about in his pool and on his patio, which he took great pride in owning. Most foxes were unable to afford things like this, due to most banks being unwilling to give them anything, but due to his connections with a mob boss named Vincent Grimes, a wolverine with a nasty temper, Gringwald was able to buy this house only two years back.

Thanks to a successful hit on a rival gang the other week, he was being given time off by his boss, and he had invited several friends, foxes who had never been allowed to set a single paw near a nice pool or patio before in their lives, to hang out with him. These friends had no connection to Grimes, and were merely friends of Gringwald, who wanted them to have a nice time. None of them knew about his job as a mob enforcer, and he was hoping to keep it that way until he could get himself a legitimate job somewhere with very high pay, but given most of society's attitude towards foxes, it would be a long time before that ever happened.

As Charlie watched his friends playing in the pool and swimming, he heard the tell-tale sound of someone getting out of the water and shaking themselves dry. He looked over and saw a young gray fox kit, around three years of age, being toweled dry by her mother. The vixen smiled at her daughter and laughed as the girl licked her face. Charlie himself chuckled at the kit's antics.

The vixen picked up her daughter and walked over to Charlie. "Thank you, Chuck, for letting us come over today," the vixen said. "It's no problem," Charlie said with a smile. "I'd do anything to see little Laura here smile and laugh," Charlie added. "Thank you again, Chuck," the vixen said. "Any time, Sam," Charlie said with a smile.

Meanwhile, driving along the road near the path to the house, a police officer soon came to a stop and dismounted his motorcycle. He was carrying a large duffle bag in one paw and he had a helmet covering most of his head, with his muzzle sticking out as it was a standard helmet, not a Tundra Town specific one like one of his partners. He had large aviator glasses covering his eyes as he quietly walked up to a small hill with several bushes surrounding it, giving him cover as he used a scope to watch the various foxes in the pool.

 _Foxes_ , he thought to himself, _they're all a bunch of fucking criminals. Every single one of them. I'll be doing everyone a favor with this_ , he finished with a smile. His smile faded only a fraction a few seconds later. _Well, maybe not ALL of them._

He saw a small fox kit being taken inside the house by her mother, but only after they had disappeared into the building did he take out his submachine gun with an extended modular barrel. He prepped a smoke grenade inside the duffle bag, retrieved his ammo clip, and then threw the bag into the pool. The foxes all looked around in bewilderment as the bag hit the pool, and then the shooting started.

The pool was soon filled with blood, and the several foxes were lying down or crumpling against now-broken furniture as the officer emptied his gun. The sliding screen door of the house was fractured, but nothing had entered the house. Charlie Gringwald was now dead, and so were all but two of his guests. The officer then walked away, back to his motorcycle, and hid the parts of his gun in a bag before he sped away.

* * *

**Later That Afternoon...**

"Oh my god," Nick said with a gasp as he surveyed the destruction of the house and pool. A small desert fox kit was holding onto her mother for dear life as the two female foxes were sitting in an ambulance. The mother was trying to soothe her daughter and calm the frightened kit. Judy looked at the carnage with a frown, trying to hold down her lunch as best she could. "Did you see who did this?" Nick asked Officer Quinn Blackwell, a gray wolf who had called in the discovery.

"Negative. I arrived here after leaving my last patrol spot, and on the way, I caught something in the air. I came here and checked it out, and this is what I found," Blackwell said. Blackwell as another transfer from the Third Precinct. "That fox and her kit appear to be the only survivors. They've been questioned, but the mother says they were inside the kitchen when the shooting happened. They didn't venture out until well after it had stopped," Blackwell said.

"Who owned the house?" Nick asked him. "I'm not sure. It's too nice to be owned by any of these foxes, so it must belong to a friend of another species," Blackwell said. "Are you certain of that?" Nick asked him with a cynical tone. "Not really, but it's highly plausible," Blackwell replied. "I see. Let's find out who the owner was, and get these bodies identified. This is a fucking mess," Nick said in disgust. Blackwell nodded his head.

"I'm... I'm gonna go talk to the survivors," Judy said before she walked through the house and over to the driveway where the ambulance holding the survivors was parked. "Um, excuse me, Ma'am?" Judy asked the vixen. The fox looked at her questioningly. "Um, I know this must be difficult, but could you please tell us who the owner of this property is?" Judy asked her as she brought out her carrot pen and a note pad.

"Ch-Charlie," the vixen said, close to tears. "Charlie... who?" Judy asked her. "G-Gringwald. He was-he was out on the deck, when-when the sh-shooting started," the vixen said, tears in her eyes and body shaking. "So... the house belongs to one of the... victims?" Judy asked her carefully. The vixen nodded her head in confirmation. "Did you... know him?" Judy asked the vixen. "He was a friend. He would... he would send money to me, to take care of my daughter," the vixen said with a shudder.

"He sounds like a nice man," Judy said sadly. "He... he was... to us. He didn't want us to know, but... but... he-he was... doing things," the vixen said. "Things?" Judy asked her quietly. The vixen nodded her head and covered her daughter's ears. "The money he gave us... he sent it to us by week. Even a hardworking fox can't make that much legally, not when nobody gives us jobs that nice," the vixen said.

Judy soon caught onto what the vixen was saying. "You mean... he was... a hustler?" Judy asked her, hoping that the vixen meant that Charlie was doing what Nick had been doing before meeting her. "N-No. He... he worked for someone who... he did terrible things for money. I don't know their name, but it's the only way Charlie could have made that money and also gotten this house," the vixen said with a frown.

"I'm so sorry," Judy said in a consoling tone. The sound of a car pulling up drew her attention to the side of the road where a sedan had come to a stop. After the engine turned off, she watched as a leopard dressed in a gray jacket stepped out and closed the door, walking toward her. "Um, can I help you?" Judy asked the leopard. She didn't recognize him at all.

The leopard smiled before reaching into his jacket and producing a badge and an ID card from his wallet. "Inspector Conan Milius," the leopard said. Judy nodded her head. "You? No, wait... you're Judy Hopps. You're the only rabbit on the force... right now, anyway." The leopard then looked at the shaking vixen and her daughter in the ambulance. "Is this a witness?" Milius asked. "Sort of. She and her daughter are the only survivors," Judy explained.

"Well, they should have plenty to tell us," Milius said. "They were in the kitchen when it happened. They didn't see much," Judy said. "Are you sure?" Milius asked her. "Well, not entirely, but it's unlikely that they saw who did this," Judy replied. "Okay. What all have you learned from them?" Milius asked her as he crouched down to face Judy at her eye level.

"The owner of the house was a fox named Charlie Gringwald," Judy said. "Gringwald? Damn," Milius said. "You've heard of him?" Judy asked the cat. "Yeah. He's, well he _was_ , anyway, a mob enforcer for a wolverine named Vincent Grimes," Milius explained.

"Does that mean this was a mob hit?" Judy asked him. "I don't know. I haven't seen the carnage yet. Who was the first to arrive?" Milius asked her. "Officer Blackwell," Judy replied. Milius raised an eyebrow. "Was he responding to a call from the survivors, or did he find the place on his own?" Milius asked her. "He said that he smelled something in the air on his patrol route and came around to investigate," Judy replied.

"I see," Milius said before he turned to face the vixen and her daughter. "Tell me, miss... uh, what's your name?" Milius asked her. The vixen looked at him, unsure of whether or not to trust him. "It's okay, we're not gonna take you away anywhere," Milius said. He'd witnessed incidents where foxes who had witnessed crimes were then cuffed by the police for the flimsiest excuses possible.

"I'm Inspector Milius. I'm here to find out what happened. I promise that you won't be incarcerated for speaking to us. You have my word," Milius said. The vixen still seemed unsure. "My name is... Samantha. My daughter is Laura," the vixen said. "Okay. What can you tell us about what happened?" Milius asked her. "I took my daughter into the kitchen... to get her something to eat. That-that's when the shooting started. I... I grabbed my daughter and we stayed down, hiding until it stopped," the vixen said.

"So... you didn't see who attacked, did you?" Milius asked her. The vixen shook her head. "I understand. Your main concern was protecting your daughter. That's what a good mother does," Milius said as he turned to face Judy. "Officer Hopps, where's Blackwell right now?" Milius asked her. "He's with Nick-I mean, Officer Wilde, up at the pool," Judy replied.

"Was that the only spot hit by the attack?" Milius asked her. "I think so," Judy said. "Okay then. Stay here with these two and radio in for more officers and coroners. I'll be up there taking a look around," Milius said as he stood up and walked over to the front door of the house. "This is a nice place. It's a shame a fox can only afford this by illegal means," he said as he glanced back at Judy.

"They wouldn't have to if society didn't distrust them so much and refuse them proper jobs," Judy retorted. "You're right. You're absolutely right. That's why it's such a shame," Milius said before he entered the house. He looked around at the various pictures hanging on the wall of the steps as he walked up to the floor that connected to the kitchen and living room, along with a hallway that connected to two bedrooms and a bathroom.

Along the side of one wall, Milius noticed something. None of these pictures showed Gringwald with his employers. Every single picture was of Gringwald either with his friends or family, or of his friends or family. Milius stepped closer and saw that one picture was of the vixen and her daughter, along with Gringwald and another male fox. The picture had been taken two years ago.

Milius sighed. "A killer with a soft side," Milius said before he took a closer look at the fourth fox. The male looked familiar to him. "Oh... that was _his_ body that we found," Milius said, remembering a case where a male fox's body had been found in an alley, crushed and mangled by a large mammal, either an elephant or a rhino. Milius had done a background check after confirming the fox's identity, and there was not a single criminal record for him.

Returning to the present, Milius resumed walking out to the pool deck, stopping to look at the shattered glass on the floor of the kitchen. He carefully walked around it and opened the door, stepping outside just in time to see Officer Nick Wilde retching over the side rail of the deck and into some bushes. "I told you not to look," a wolf, presumably Blackwell, said to the fox.

"Ahem" Milius said, catching the attention of the two canines. "I'm assuming that you're officer Blackwell?" Milius asked the wolf. "I am," Blackwell replied. "Officer Hopps informed me back there that you were the first animal to respond. Is that correct?" Milius asked him carefully. "I caught a whiff of something in the air and made my way over here. That's when I found the... you know, the mess," Blackwell said.

"A mess? Officer Blackwell, spilled coffee or a flipped-over tray of food is a mess. This, on the other paw, is a complete massacre. We have a dead mob enforcer and I don't know how many civilian casualties," Milius said. "Mob enforcer?" Blackwell asked him. "Yes, the owner is Charlie Gringwald, a mob enforcer for Vincent Grimes. This is his house," Milius explained.

"Well, I guess there's no other way for a fox to own something so nice without being a criminal," Blackwell said. Milius looked over Nick, who was glowering at Blackwell. "Blackwell, please do remember that most foxes do so because of circumstance. Their choices are either crime or starvation, thanks to society's prejudice," Milius said.

"Because they're all criminals," Blackwell said. "Blackwell? Please, do yourself a favor and shut up," Milius said as he glanced at Nick, who was doing his best to keep his anger in check. "Why? I'm just stating the truth. I'll bet you that every single one of these foxes here was involved in some kind of criminal activity," the wolf retorted.

"Hmm, I guess I'll have to post their background information for you when I'm done investigating. Just to let you know," Milius said snidely. Milius then looked over at the forensics team setting up around the bodies as the response personnel were preparing to load them into body bags. "So, what can any of you tell me so far about this incident?" Milius asked as he spied the blood on the deck.

"They were killed with bullets," one of the forensic analysts, a kiang* mare, said as she used a par of tongs to hold the remnants of a bullet. "This is the most intact one that we've found so far," she said. "Huh. I guess that means this _was_ a mob hit," Milius said. "It makes sense," he added. "Gringwald was a mob enforcer, and there was evidence linking him to a mob hit last week. Somebody must've decided to pay him back."

As Milius looked around, however, he began to notice something that didn't fit with the mob hit hypothesis. All of the damage was relegated to the pool area, and nothing else. Even the broken glass of the kitchen was a result of that door being right in front of the pool deck. And the vixen had said that she and her daughter were in the kitchen when the shooting started, but a mob hit would have destroyed literally everything. Mob hits, even clean ones, tended to leave a lot of destruction, especially when the hit is against someone who was part of another mob.

 _No_ , Milius realized, _this is something different_. _This wasn't a mob hit_. _This feels more like an assassination, but then... why so many casualties? That's definitely mob style... unless the killer was trying to cover their tracks by making it **LOOK** like a mob hit_. _Thin, but still plausible_ , Milius thought to himself as he surveyed the damage and carnage. He took a deep breath and sighed in consternation. "Shit."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * A kiang is a type of wild horse.
> 
> And yes, Mugal and Salizar Fasa are both based on Scar and Mufasa from The Lion King. How else am I supposed to skewer that overrated Shakespeare adaptation? And yes, the car they are driving is a reference to RoboCop (1987). I believe that all good fan fiction should contain references to the original RoboCop every few chapters.


	5. Apartment Hunting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Judy helps Nick search for a new apartment.

Disclaimer: Zootopia is property of Disney

* * *

**Apartment Hunting**

* * *

Date: Saturday, May 7th, 2017

Nick Wilde opened his eyes with a groan. He rolled over and slammed his fist on his old antique alarm clock, silencing it. It was 7:00 in the morning. "Shut up... piece of junk," Nick muttered as he yawned before sitting up and getting out of his old rickety bed. He looked around his bedroom for a set of clean clothes to put on for the day.

After grabbing some blue jeans and a yellow button-up shirt, Nick got a quick and freezing cold shower before getting dressed. "I gotta find a new place soon," Nick muttered as he slipped on his underwear. "It's _May!_ The damn water should be at least mildly warm, not dick-shrinking _cold!_ "

His angry tirade was interrupted when his cell phone rang. Reaching over to his aged dresser, which was literally standing on its last leg and three phone books, he grabbed his phone and saw a picture of Judy on the caller ID. It was a picture of her in her "apartment" with tired eyes and ruffled fur, as she had obviously just gotten out of bed. She had told him to delete the image, but he'd managed to make her forget about it after a while.

"Hello?" Nick asked. " _Hey, Nick, I'll be at your place in about five minutes. I have a list of places that we can go looking at for you,_ " Judy said. "Places?" Nick asked her. " _Apartments! We're going apartment hunting today, remember?_ " Judy asked him. "Oh, right. Sorry, I've had... other things... on my mind," Nick said, images of the carnage at the pool coming back to him.

" _Do you wanna talk about it?_ " Judy asked him. "Well, it's about yesterday," Nick said. " _Oh. do you want to wait for me to arrive and we can talk in private?_ " Judy asked him. "Uh... sure, why not?" Nick replied with a sigh. " _I also brought a bag of blueberries with me, so that we can have a snack while driving around,_ " Judy said. "Sounds good to me," Nick said. " _See you soon. Bye,_ " Judy said. "Yeah. Bye," Nick said as he hung up the phone.

A few minutes later, Judy knocked on his door. "Hey, Carrots. You found me," Nick said with his usual charm. "Well, come on in," Nick said as he gestured to her. "Okay," Judy said as Nick closed the door behind her, "Where do you want to start?" "Well, what's the closest place?" Nick asked her.

"No, I meant about yesterday. Look, what we saw there... it got to me too, Nick," Judy said with a frown. "I mean... until yesterday, seeing that much blood and carnage was something that I'd only ever seen in action movies and in old war pictures, and those were faded or stylized to a degree," Judy said. "This was up close. I could smell the blood and the pool water and I could feel the wrongness in the air around their bodies," Judy said.

"I know. I've... I've never seen that in person either," Nick said as he sat down on his worn and, possibly older than time itself, ugly green and brown couch. He patted the spot next to him for Judy to sit down. "Yeah, I know it's hideous, but just sit down," Nick said. Judy nodded her head and plopped herself right next him. "As long as you don't look at the couch for more than five minutes at a time, you shouldn't go blind or turn into stone," Nick joked.

Judy actually chuckled. "So... the fox who owned the house was a... mob enforcer," Nick said carefully. "Yes, according to the witness and the foxes dental records," Judy said. "What about the others?" Nick asked her. "I don't know. I did a check on that vixen's background, the one with the daughter? And she came up clean," Judy said. "But I'm guessing that her daughter is a known terrorist with ties to the mob and dirty politicians?" Nick asked her humorously.

Judy frowned at him. "Yes, Nick. The three year old kit is a terrorist. Of course she came up clean," Judy replied. "I was just joking," Nick said. "I know, but this really isn't the best situation for that," Judy said with a sigh. "Those foxes are all dead, Nick. And, honestly, none of them deserved it, not even the one who was a criminal. He should have been arrested and tried in a court, not gunned down with his unsuspecting friends," Judy said.

"Unsuspecting? How do you figure that?" Nick asked her. "The vixen, Samantha, said that Gringwald, the mob enforcer, would always send her money to help her out, but he would never say where he got it. She said that, after a while, she figured out where he was getting it and that an honest fox could never afford a place that nice. He never told her about his mob ties, but she found out, and she stayed quiet," Judy said.

"Did you put that in a report, or did you record it?" Nick asked her. "I recorded it, and I handed a copy of the recording to Inspector Milius," Judy replied. "Milius? Milius, Milius... wait, was he that leopard detective who showed up yesterday?" Nick asked her. Judy nodded her head. "Huh. He seems nice," Nick said.

"So... when you saw the... bodies, I guess it must have been pretty shocking," Nick said to Judy. "I already said that," Judy said. "Oh, oh yeah, you did," Nick said. "Only the vixen and her daughter survived," Nick said. "At least someone made it."

"Yeah. They went int the kitchen just before the shooting started," Judy said. "Well, I guess thinking with your stomach can be a good thing after all," Nick said. "In this case, I suppose so," Judy said. "So, uh, are you gonna be okay?" Nick asked Judy. "I... I guess. I just want know why it happened," Judy said. "Well, the host was a mob enforcer, and the whole shooting up the place and gunning everyone down is signature mob style, so I'd guess that it was a mob hit or something like that," Nick said.

"I suppose so," Judy said before taking a breath. "So... where's the first place on this list of yours?" Nick asked her. "List? Oh, right! Apartment hunting," Judy said as she pushed herself off of the couch. "Come on, let's get going," she said in a commanding tone. "But my legs fell asleep. Can't we wait?" Nick asked her.

"No. We have a lot of ground to cover, so come on," Judy said as she marched over to the door. Nick let out a sigh as he got up and followed her, remembering to lock the door behind him after grabbing his wallet and hiding it on his person. "So, where's the first place located?" Nick asked Judy. "It's in Sahara Square," Judy said with a grin as the duo marched through the hallway, walking past several foxes, hyenas, jackals, and porcupines. They even passed a family of platypuses, prompting Nick to forcefully move Judy out of the building, as she had never seen a platypus in person before.

"What... what... what... what was... what were... those?" Judy asked as Nick unlocked his car doors and got inside. He looked over at Judy, who was still standing next to the open door, staring at the entrance to the apartment complex with awe and confusion on her face. "Hey, Carrots, are you getting in?" Nick asked her, snapping the rabbit out of her trance.

"Y-Yeah, but, just... what were those?" Judy asked him as she closed the door and fastened her seat belt. "Platypuses. They mostly live in the outback region, but there are a few of them living around here as well," Nick replied as he started the engine of his car. "I've... I've never seen an animal like that before," Judy said. "Well, now you have," Nick replied as he pulled out and entered traffic.

* * *

**Zootopia Police Department, 1st Precinct Station**

It was 11:00 in the morning when Lieutenant Milton Lisker came across Officer Quinn Blackwell in the break room. Lisker checked to make sure that both of them were alone before he marched over and snarled at Blackwell. "What the fuck is wrong with you!?" Lisker snarled quietly at the younger wolf.

"What are you talking about?" Blackwell asked him. "You know damn well what I mean. You were only supposed to hit Gringwald, _not_ his guests," Lisker hissed at him. "What difference does it make? They were all foxes. I'm sure they were all guilty of something," Blackwell retorted. Lisker lashed out and struck Blackwell across the muzzle.

"Those words sound mighty familiar to me, Blackwell, and I don't think you want me to mistake you for the animal who last uttered them, do you?" Lisker asked him. "N-No. No sir," Blackwell replied. "Good. Now, you're off ring duty for at least a month. You do basic duties and whatever Chief Bogo tells you, got it? He says 'shit', and you ask him, how much, what color, and where does he want it? Got that?"

"I got it," Blackwell said reluctantly. "Good. There aren't too many assholes who deserve the stain remover at this point, so we'll take our time with them. Also, Horrowitz has been acting a little... odd lately," Lisker said. "Odd?" Blackwell asked. "He's become a bit withdrawn from everyone, and I've noticed certain items from evidence going missing lately. I know that he's got some deals with certain animals to get us equipment and supplies, but I'm not sure that all of his late-night meetings are related to that," Lisker elaborated.

"You want me to watch him?" Blackwell asked. "Yes. Follow him around at night. Go with him once or twice, and tell him that I told you to go, since you're otherwise suspended from your duties," Lisker said. The younger wolf nodded his head in affirmation. "Oh, how are Benezio and Pelton doing? I haven't been able to catch up with them very much," Lisker asked as he put a paw on the younger wolf's shoulder.

"Well-" Just then, Sergeant Maes Hooper entered the room and made a bee-line for the coffee machine. "Hey, guys, what's up?" Hooper asked as he grabbed a Styrofoam cup and placed it under the coffee dispenser. He then added a pod of decaf Dark Mountain Roast to the machine and hit the brewing button. "Hello, Lieutenant," Hooper said with a nod. "Hello, Sergeant. How are you?" Lisker asked him politely.

"Oh, doing good. I think I like this place a lot more than the Third. Nicer weather and better roads," Hooper said with a smile. He then looked at Blackwell. "Hey, Blackwell, what happened to your face?" Hooper asked him. "Oh, uh..." "He surprised me when I entered the room and, well... I don't take too kindly to surprises," Lisker lied. "Ouch," Hooper said with a wince. "I'll have to keep that mind," Hooper said as he watched his coffee cup fill up before he added cream and sugar to his beverage.

"Anybody want a cup?" Hooper asked as he looked at his fellow wolves. "No... but thank you for the offer," Lisker said before he sat down. "Yeah, I... need to use the bathroom anyway," Blackwell said as he exited the break room. "What's his problem?" Hooper asked Lisker. "No idea," Lisker lied. Hooper took a sip of his coffee before grimacing. "Bleh! This isn't hazelnut creme!" he exclaimed bitterly. Lisker chuckled at the younger wolf's misfortune.

* * *

"Okay, the next location is an apartment complex on East Grove Avenue," Judy said as she and Nick walked out of the Pine Air Living Quarters complex. "Let's hope they have predator warning bells in all of their rooms, not just half of them," Nick said sardonically. "I-I didn't know, Nick. I'm sorry," Judy said. "I know. It's okay," Nick said.

"No, it isn't. We've been through five apartment complexes already, and... I thought that things would be different by now," Judy said as they got into Nick's car. "I thought... I'm sorry, but I honestly thought that after everything that's happened in the past year, people would be more understanding and welcoming of each other," Judy said.

"Judy, things are changing, but like I said before, it's gonna take time. It won't happen overnight, and I really do appreciate you going out of your way to help me search for a new place to live," Nick said. "Thanks," Judy said as Nick started the car.

The pair silently made their way to the next apartment complex on Judy's list, driving for another fifteen minutes before reaching a parking spot. After parking the car, Nick and Judy both noticed a familiar face walking on the sidewalk. "Officer Furrero?" Judy asked. "Huh? Oh, Hopps! Wilde!" Cynthia exclaimed as she smiled at her fellow officers. "What are you guys doing here?" she asked them.

"We're apartment hunting," Judy replied. "Oh? Both of you?" Cynthia asked them. "No, just for me," Nick said. "My current place is... a dump," He added. "That sucks," Cynthia replied with a shrug. She was wearing khaki pants and a blue T-shirt. "Say, you wouldn't happen to know any places that aren't too expensive, would you?" Nick asked her.

"Uh... depends on travel distance. There are some nice places in the outskirts, but you'd have to get up really early to get to the station on time and go to bed early in order to wake up early," Cynthia said. "Any places that don't have... predator alarms?" Nick asked her. "Pred-what now?" Cynthia replied in confusion.

"Oh, alarms that prey can use to let everyone know that there's a big bad predator in their building," Nick said. "Uh-huh," Cynthia said with half-lidded eyes and a wry smile. "So... re-purposed fire alarms, I take it?" Cynthia asked him. "Well, fire is the greatest predator of them all," Nick said with a smirk.

"Not if it can be stopped by mere rain or water," Cynthia countered. "Touche," Nick said with a nod of his head. "Come on, Nick. We need to check out the rooms in this place," Judy said with an odd sensation in her. It was something she wasn't familiar with, but she didn't dwell on it as she grabbed Nick's wrist and led him into the building. "Well, maybe I'll tag along. I don't really have much else planned today anyway," Cynthia said as she followed the duo inside the building.

Stepping inside, Cynthia saw Judy and Nick talking to the landlord, who was an old alpaca, dressed in a checkered shirt with suspenders and tan dress pants. Cynthia quickly walked up to the two. "And, uh, who might you be?" the alpaca asked her warily. "I'm... a coworker of theirs," Cynthia replied.

"Eh, okay then. Now, follow me while I show you the room," the old alpaca said as he led the trio to up a flight of stairs. "Is there something wrong with taking an elevator?" Nick asked as they walked up to the third floor. "No, but I need my daily exercise," the old alpaca replied gruffly.

After reaching the door and entering the hallway, the group made their way to the empty apartment room. "He we are," the old alpaca said as he opened the door to apartment number 325. The group stepped inside and began looking around. "This is the living room, nice and modest in size," the alpaca said as he showed them around.

"Over here is the bathroom," the old alpaca said as he showed them the bathroom. "Uh, does the hot water work?" Nick asked. "Sure does," the old alpaca replied. "All year round?" Nick asked him. "All year round," the alpaca replied. A few minutes later, after showing them the closet and then returning to the living room and showing them the small kitchen area, Nick asked his most important question.

"Okay, how much is rent a month?" Nick asked the old alpaca. "Well, right now, the price for the room is about two-hundred a month, plus ten dollars for a parking space outside," the alpaca replied. "Okay," Nick said. "And there's the initial down payment for the utilities being restarted, which is about fifty dollars," the old alpaca said.

"Okay. Judy, do you want to take a look around once more before we check out the other places on the list?" Nick asked her. "Huh?" Judy asked him. "You know, see if it's to your liking," Nick said as he walked out of the apartment. Cynthia followed him and Nick pulled her to the side and he leaned against the wall.

The alpaca waited for the door to close before looking back at Judy. "So, your friend is helping you find a place? Well then, I guess it's safe to tell you the real price," the old alpaca said with a smile. "The... real price?" Judy asked him. "Well, of course. It's one-hundred and twenty a month, although the parking space is still ten dollars extra," the alpaca said with a grin. "And the utilities?" Judy asked him. "I made that up," the alpaca said.

A few minutes later, in the hall, Nick jumped in surprise when Judy opened the door and slammed it shut. "Let's go," Judy said bitterly as she walked down the hallway. "What's wrong?" Cynthia asked the rabbit. "That alpaca..." Judy spat. "What did he do? Did he... did he try to... take advantage of you?" Cynthia asked her with concern.

"Please, his head would have been planted through the wall if he'd tried that on Carrots," Nick said. "No, he didn't try anything," Judy said as they walked through the hallway before entering the elevator. "Then what happened?" Cynthia asked her. "He lied about the rent," Judy said with a scowl.

"Really?" Nick asked her. "Yeah. The actual rent is one-hundred and twenty dollars, and there is no utility start up cost," Judy said. "What about the cost of the parking space?" Nick asked her. "He was honest about that part," Judy said. "You know, two hundred dollars actually seemed reasonable, to be honest," Nick said.

"Yeah, but he still lied about it because you're a fox," Judy said with a frown as the elevator stopped. They quickly strode out and into the lobby before exiting the building. "Um, if you guys don't mind... I know a place that might be worth checking out," Cynthia said as they walked towards Nick's car.

"Oh yeah?" Nick asked her as he unlocked the doors with his keys. "Yeah, it's East Savannah Apartments," Cynthia said. "East Savanna Apartments? I think I've heard of that place," Nick said thoughtfully as the trio got into his car. "Um... Furrero, why are you getting in with us?" Judy asked her, that strange and faint feeling rearing its head again.

"Well, if you want directions to the place, I can guide you," she replied. "Carrots? Care to let someone else be the backseat driver?" Nick asked Judy. "Alright, let's check it out," Judy said as she buckled her seat belt. "Okay, where to?" Nick asked Cynthia. "Let me get my phone out. I have a GPS on it," Cynthia replied.

**Twenty Minutes Later...**

"Nice looking place," Nick commented as the trio got out of his car. Judy looked over and saw a parking garage attached to one side of the building. "Huh, so it has its own parking garage," Judy commented. "That's nice," Nick said. "So, Furrero-" "Call me Cynthia off duty," Cynthia said to Judy. "Okay, Cynthia. How did you know about this place?" Judy asked her.

"I live here," Cynthia said with a smile. "Wow, you sure work fast. Getting two animals you've only known for a month to come back to your apartment, whew," Nick joked with a smirk. "Please, you're both far too innocent for my tastes," Cynthia replied in kind.

"Oh? And just what does that mean?" Nick asked her as they followed her into the building's main lobby. "So, did you just move here recently?" Nick asked Cynthia as they made their way over to a door to an office. "Actually, I've lived here since I graduated from the academy, so it's been a few years," Cynthia replied. "Wait, I thought you were still a rookie like me," Nick said.

"I never said that. I'm not as experienced as the others, but I've been on the force longer than Hooper," Cynthia said. "Oh yeah, Hooper. He certainly seems... enthusiastic," Nick mused. "Yeah. As long as he gets to ride that motorcycle of his during patrol, he's satisfied," Cynthia said as she knocked on the door of the landlord's office.

"Who is it?" asked a male voice from inside. "It's me, Furrero," Cynthia replied. "Hold on," was the response on the other side. An unlocking sound was made before the door opened and a middle-aged aardwolf stood in front of everyone. "You've already paid your rent for the next month, so what's up?" the landlord asked her.

"Are those apartments still vacant?" Cynthia asked the aardwolf. "Uh, one of them was taken two days ago, but the rest are still open. Why?" the aardwolf asked her. "Well, Mister Geffen, my coworker here is looking for a new apartment, and I was wondering if you could show him around one of the empty ones," Cynthia explained.

"Uh... which one is your coworker?" Mr. Geffen asked her. "They both are, but Nick here is the one looking for a new place. His current apartment sucks," Cynthia said flatly. "Okay. So, which one of you here is Nick?" Mr. Geffen asked. "I'm Nick," the fox said. "Okay. Starting price for the first month is two-hundred dollars, and then it's one-hundred and sixty the following month, for a standard room. If you want something fancy, the price goes up to one eighty a month," Geffen said.

"What about utilities?" Nick asked him. "Those are included in the first month's payment and then forty dollars every three months as part of a slush fund for replacement parts. Pipes get inspected every three months. Air conditioning is included in the utilities, but only during the summer months. Air conditioning gets shut off in the winter and fall, unless you pay extra for those months, or you have an air conditioner of your own. In that case, we can shut off air conditioning for your apartment until you think you can afford it," Geffen said.

"Do all rooms have-" I'm not finished," Geffen snapped. "Sorry," Judy said. "Okay. I'm finished," Geffen said with a smile. Nick snickered. "So, do you still want to see them?" Geffen asked the trio. "Sure. Question, though, do the apartments have bathrooms?" Nick asked him. "Of course. This isn't some shit hole," Geffen replied. "Now, follow me," he said as he led the group to an elevator.

"Um... do the apartments have refrigerators or freezers of their own, or do we have to bring our own?" Nick asked the aardwolf. "We have basic fridges, and since the pipes are all laid out rather complexly, if you bring your own, then you need to place it exactly where ours is located. We already have holes drilled for water and power outlets arranged in specific locations," Geffen explained.

"Gotcha," Nick said. The elevator dinged and the doors opened. The group spent the next three minutes walking through the halls until they reached apartment 423. "Here we go. This is the first one in our tour," Geffen said. Looking around, Nick noticed something about the layout of the building. "Hey, this apartment is on the inside, so why is there a window over there?" he asked. "This place has a small courtyard in the middle of it," Geffen replied.

"Neat. Can tenants go there or is it off-limits?" Nick asked. "Tenants can go in there, just don't leave trash lyin' around," Geffen said. "So, you've got your basic bathroom, a bedroom, a big storage closet, a living room, a kitchen, a small storage closet for clothes, I guess, and... um, that's about it," Geffen said as he showed the group around.

"That big storage closet, is that, like, a guest room or something?" Judy asked as she looked at the door for it. "Well, if I listed it as a second bedroom, I'd have to charge more. If I list it as storage space, I get to charge a bit less. If I list it as a big closet, then I can take the rent way down, since no one will bother to have the utilities attached to it turned on," Geffen said. "Do you do that with all of your apartments?" Nick asked him.

"Usually. It helps bring in more tenants," Geffen said. "Makes it more affordable," Geffen said. "I see. Um, is it possible to hold on this apartment for a month?" Nick asked him. "No. All I can do is tell you to hope that no one claims it in that time. I used to do that holding stuff before, but the animals I held apartments for would never come back while I turned away others who could actually afford the place, so no, I will not be holding this apartment for anyone," Geffen replied.

"Okay. Here's what we can do. In about a month, I should have enough money saved up to begin making payments. If this place is still available by that time, I'll call you and sign the lease," Nick said. "Okay, but I can't guarantee that it'll still be available by then. Here," Geffen said as he reached into his vest and produced a card. "This has my office phone number. Call me in a month to check on the place. That way you don't come over here and have your heart broken if someone else moves in before you," Geffen said.

"Thanks," Nick said as he took the card. "So... if we were to ask other tenants about their rent, what would they tell us?" Judy asked the aardwolf. "Same thing I just told you," Geffen said to the rabbit. "Right. Is it okay if we ask around then?" Judy asked him. "Sure, go ahead, but you'll hear the same thing," Geffen said.

Judy nodded her head. "So, Cynthia, how much do you pay a month?" Judy asked the coywolf standing next to her. "One hundred and sixty dollars a month," Cynthia replied. "Um, question," Nick said. "Yeah?" Geffen replied. "That parking structure next to the building. Is it for the apartment tenants, or is it or something else?" Nick asked.

"It's both. The tenants have their own section, and the animals who work in the nearby buildings have their own. Visitors have a section as well," Geffen replied. "Um, what about the parking spots out front or next to the sidewalk?" Nick asked. "The spots marked for residents are free, but visitors have a meter next to theirs," Geffen explained.

"Cool," Nick said. Judy had just finished talking to Cynthia. "Okay, it seems that you're far more honest than an old alpaca," Judy said. "Um... thank you?" Geffen said, confused. "One of the landlords at a previous complex lied about the price to us when I was in the room, and then told Carrots here the real price after I'd left. She's a... real stickler for honesty, having grown up on a farm," Nick explained.

"Uh-huh. Well, take your time and look around. Get a feel for the place before you leave," Geffen said as he walked over to the doorway and took out his phone. He began looking at his weekly schedule while the trio moved about the place. Five minutes later, the group was making their way out of the building.

"Like I said, give me a call by the end of the month if you're still interested. But, also like I said, there's no guarantee that it'll still be available by then," Mr. Geffen said to Nick before they parted ways. Getting into Nick's car, the trio began looking over Judy's list. "I thought you liked this place?" Judy asked him. "Well, yeah, but let's make sure to check out the last few places on your list first, just to see if there might be a better deal elsewhere," Nick said.

"Okay, if you insist. At least this guy was honest with us," Judy said. "Um, if you don't mind me asking, Nick, just how terrible _is_ your current place of residence?" Cynthia asked from the back seat. "The pipes freeze all the time, the walls ooze slime, the heating doesn't work, I have to share the warmth of a big hippo named Janine with a dozen other animals every night, and the carpet is ugly," Nick replied humorously.

"But, seriously, the water is way too cold for this time of year, and half of the utilities seem to be on the fritz most of the time. The only thing that works right is the air conditioner in my window, but that thing's pretty old. Part of my refrigerator doesn't even keep things cold, and I don't dare touch my oven or stove. Okay, maybe the microwave is the other thing that works properly," Nick said. "Wow, that... that really sucks," Cynthia commented. "Yep," Nick said as he pulled out and drove off to their next destination. "It sure does."


	6. Fraternization

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SMUT! I mean, Nick and Cynthia become better acquainted with each other.

Disclaimer: Zootopia is property of Disney.

Warning: The following chapter may contain... smut, I mean, lemons. As such, the story has now fully earned the M-rating.

* * *

**Fraternization**

* * *

Date: Saturday, May 7th, 2017 

Nick, Judy, and Cynthia walked out of the last apartment on Judy's list feeling fatigued. "I think we did good today," Judy said. "Uh-huh. Only three places that were honest about their prices, and several others that do their best to make predators feel as unwelcomed as possible," Nick said. "It could have been worse," Cynthia said.

"I'm tired," Judy said. "What's that? Did I just hear the impossible?" Nick asked with a smirk on his face. Judy snorted in response. "Alright, let's get you back to that glorified closet you call an apartment," Nick said as the trio got into his car. "It's not a closet. It's just a really small apartment, and very appropriate for someone of my size," Judy said defensively.

"Sure. Whatever you say," Nick said smarmily. Judy rolled her eyes at him. "So... you've seen each other's apartments?" Cynthia asked from the back seat. "Oh, definitely," Nick replied as he started the engine and merged into traffic. Twenty minutes later, they arrived outside of Grand Pangolin Arms. "Pangolin Arms," Cynthia said to herself as she read the name sign on the outside of the building.

"So, see you tomorrow?" Nick asked Judy after he parked the car. Judy hesitated as she unbuckled her seat belt. "Um, actually, Nick, there's something that I promised to help Clawhauser with tomorrow. If you'd like, you could join me," Judy offered. "Hmm... you're helping him workout, aren't you?" Nick said.

Judy looked away from him. "I knew it. Sorry, Carrots, but I have this feeling that if I go along with you, I'll probably say something very stupid or offensive by accident. Personally, I'd rather not risk hurting the big guy's feelings. Maybe some other time? Besides, I'd honestly rather stay inside tomorrow anyway," Nick said.

"Okay, but next weekend, you are busting your butt with me and Clawhauser," Judy said with a nod of her head as she unlocked the door and got out. "That's if it doesn't kill me first," Nick retorted with a smile. "Bye, Nick," Judy said before shutting the door. Nick waited for Judy to enter the apartment complex before taking the car out of park and merging with traffic once again.

"So," Cynthia began, "I see that the two of you are close." "Well, yeah," Nick said, slightly uncomfortably. "Was the Night Howler case the first time either of you met each other?" Cynthia asked him as he stopped at a red light. "Not quite. We had actually met a day prior, when Carrots accidentally helped me out with a hustle and Jerry Jumbeaux Treats. That was back when she still carried fox repellent on her person," Nick said.

"Oh. She had fox repellent?" Cynthia asked him. "Yeah. Her parents gave it to her, since being out in the country meant that... well, she had a nasty incident with another fox when she was younger," Nick said. "Oh. So, did she really resign from the police before cracking the case?" Cynthia asked him. "How did you hear about that?" Nick asked her.

"Lieutenant Lisker. He's a detective for a reason," Cynthia replied. "Yeah, he seems to know a lot about me and Carrots, doesn't he?" Nick asked, remembering their first meeting with the wolf. "He does research on everyone he works with, especially since the Third Precinct where we used to work sometimes had problems with... cops on mob payroll," Cynthia said.

"I see. That's how he knew that I used to be an associate of Mr. Big," Nick said. "Yeah. Say, is it true that you sold him a-" "Skunk butt rug? Yes, yes it's true," Nick said in a slightly annoyed tone of voice. "So... does everyone know about that?" Nick asked Cynthia after a minute of silence had passed. "About what? The rug incident? Yeah. I guess it's the department's way of collectively informing everyone that you aren't in the graces of criminal organizations," Cynthia replied.

"Well, isn't that nice of them," Nick said. "Well... if they know that the biggest mob boss doesn't like you, then they won't accuse you of being in his pocket," Cynthia said. "I guess... that's true to an extent. I'm... not exactly on his _hit list_ anymore, but I'm not really welcomed in his home either, especially now that I'm a cop," Nick said.

"Are you friendly with him?" Cynthia asked him. "No. He'd much rather throw me under a bus than work with me in any capacity, so he's not going to use me as a mole if that's what you're thinking," Nick replied as he kept his eyes on the road. "Did he say that to you the last time you saw him?" Cynthia asked. "Not exactly, but then Mr. Big doesn't always need _words_ to get a point across," Nick said.

"Is that so?" Cynthia asked him in response. "Yes. Yes it is so," Nick said. The rest of the ride was relatively silent as Nick drove back to East Savannah Apartments to drop off Cynthia. "Uh, thanks again for helping us out today," Nick said as he prepared to park the car out front.

"You're welcome, but you can park in the guest area in the garage if you'd like," Cynthia replied with a smile. "Does it cost anything?" Nick asked her. "You have five dollars on you?" Cynthia asked him. "Yeah," Nick replied. "There's your answer," she said. "Why do you want me to park in the garage?" Nick asked her suspiciously.

"I want you to stay the night," Cynthia replied. "Wait, stay the night? Like, the whole night until morning?" Nick asked her incredulously. "Yeah," Cynthia said simply. "Why?" Nick asked her, suspicious of her motives. "Well, staying the night would give you an idea of what the place is really like if you want to rent an apartment here," she replied. "Okay, but why are you doing this for me?" Nick replied, still suspicious.

"Well, I'm trying to help you out," Cynthia replied. "Okay, but why? We don't exactly know each other that well, and I'm a fox," Nick said. "True, but you're also a male, and I'm a female," Cynthia said. "Wait... say that again," Nick requested. "I'm a girl and you're a boy. Neither of us have much else to do this weekend, right?" Cynthia asked him.

"Well... fine, you have a point, but how do I know this isn't some kind of horrible joke?" Nick asked her. "Trust me. Besides, when was the last time you had any tail?" Cynthia asked him in response. "Oh, uh... a very long while ago," Nick said. "So, why not accept the offer?" Cynthia asked him. "Well... don't take this the wrong way, but I'm just not sure that you're being sincere. I lived on the street for several years. Being cautious was necessary for survival," Nick said to her.

"I'm not going to do anything to you... well, nothing that would hurt you," Cynthia said with a smirk. "Okay, but why the sudden interest?" Nick said. "Look, think of it as a fling. We're not romantically involved with each other or anyone else, right?" Cynthia replied. "Right," Nick said. "So, why not have some fun?" Cynthia asked him. "Okay, I'll stay the night," Nick said as he drove the car around to the entrance of the parking garage.

* * *

Inspector Conan Milius looked at the toxicology reports for Reginald Vanderbelt and the Fasa brothers. He was in his office cubicle at the ZPD First Precinct. "Hey, Conan? You putting in for overtime or something?" Captain Glover asked him as he poked his head through the door. "No. I'm just looking at something that I got in the mail today," Milius said.

"Well, what is it?" Glover asked him. "Toxicology reports for Reginald Vanderbelt and the Fasa brothers. They're both almost identical," Milius said. "They were killed by the same weapon?" Glover asked him. "Yes, whatever it was. Some kind of... conotoxin, according to this report," Milius said. "Anything else?" Glover asked him.

"Yeah. There are also lists of the similarities between scenes, such as locations and other details, like both parties having their drivers' licenses out, as if they were... showing them to someone," Milius said. "Who would they be showing them to?" Glover asked him. "Who does everyone show a driver's license to after they pull over? Either a cop or someone disguised as a cop," Milius said.

"And... this arrived in the mail? This isn't something that you went out and looked for on your own?" Glover asked him. "No. I have another unstamped envelope as well," Milius replied. "Unmarked? Have you checked them for any dangerous chemicals or substances before handling them?" Glover asked him. "Of course. I ran all of the envelopes through the safety scanners," Milius said.

"Oh. Okay then. Wait, all of them? You have more?" Glover asked him. "Yeah. Two more envelopes. I've already opened one of them, and it has toxicology reports for three other criminals who died under similar circumstances in Tundra Town," Milius replied. "And the last envelope?" Glover asked him. "It'll probably have more of the same. Someone here is trying to tell us something, and I don't like what they're trying to say," Milius said with a frown.

"We have two possibilities here: either someone dressed as a cop is going around killing these animals in an act of vigilantism, or we have police takng the law into their own paws, also in a form of vigilantism," Milius said grimly. "The Tundra Town incidents; when did they take place?" Glover asked Milius. "They took place over the course of the past year," Milius replied.

"Before or after Vanderbelt and the Fasa brothers?" Glover asked him. "Before," Milius replied. "When did Vanderbelt die?" Glover asked him. "A month ago." "And where did it happen?" Glover asked him. "Here, in Savanna Central," Milius said. "Do you see the pattern?" Glover asked him. "Pattern? Wait... yes. I see it," Milius said with a frown.

"Gather more evidence. I want you working on this, on your own time. Don't let anyone know, especially not until you have evidence that actually points to a specific individual," Glover said. "I understand," Milius said. "Good. Now, continue," Glover said before closing the door to Milius's office. Milius sat back in his chair and whistled.

* * *

Cynthia pushed Nick onto her bed with a smile. She looked down at his erection and licked her lips before grabbing a condom from the top of her dresser and removing it from its packaging. She knelt down and slid the condom down over his member. "Time for the main course," she said as she straddled him. "You ever done it with someone bigger than you?" the coywolf asked the fox. "N-Not really?" Nick replied. "Well, I'll be gentle... until you adjust," Cynthia said as she lowered herself onto him.

"You fit pretty nicely" she said. "Thanks," Nick replied before Cynthia raised herself. She then lowered herself down again, repeating the cycle as she rode him. Nick smiled as he watched her, before lowering his gaze to the spot where they both connected, watching himself disappear inside of her before reappearing for a few brief seconds. It was... very mesmerizing for him.

After a few minutes, Cynthia rocked her hips to the side a bit, causing Nick to groan at the sensation. "Good, right?" she asked him. "Oh... fuck yes," Nick replied. Cynthia smiled at the fox below her before she picked up the pace rocking her hips harder and faster. Both canines soon began to pant as the intensity increased. "Ooohh, yes," Cynthia hissed in pleasure as she rode him hard.

"Uh-Uh-huh," Nick panted in agreement as he felt Cynthia's inner muscles squeeze him tightly. He gasped at the sensation. Cynthia's smile grew as she looked down at their bodies connecting. She grabbed one of Nick's paws and placed it between her legs. "Rub me, please," she requested. Nick grunted in response and began rubbing that sweet spot right above where his length went in and out of her.

Cynthia began to pant harder as she felt her climax approaching. "Oh fuck. Oh fuck. Oh fuck," she repeated over and over again. "C-Cynthia... I," Nick grunted, feeling his own release drawing closer. "Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck!" Cynthia repeated just before her orgasm hit her, causing her to gasp with a smile. Her walls clamped down around Nick and his breath hitched a few seconds later as he came.

Cynthia was still rocking and rolling her hips as she came, eventually slowing down and laying herself on top of Nick, out of breath. "Hot... damn," Nick whispered. Cynthia looked over at the dresser next to her bed and saw the rest of the condoms. She turned her gaze to Nick's face as she slowly sat up and disengaged herself. "Hey... I'm not spent yet, and we've plenty of condoms left," she said.

Nick's eyes widened before he glanced over at the condoms. "So soon?" he asked her. "If you're up to it," she said with a smirk. She then walked over to the wall and placed her paws on it as she bent over. She glanced over her shoulder at Nick and smiled. "Come on, Nick. You made it through lap one, so now it's time for lap number two," Cynthia said.

Nick took the used condom off of his dick and grabbed another one before sheathing himself with it. He walked over to Cynthia and noticed that there was a slight height problem. "Uh... maybe you could lower yourself a little more? Even on my toes, I... well, reaching it is going to be a bit of a task," Nick said. "Oops. Forgot about that," Cynthia said before she assumed a semi-crouching position, keeping her paws on the wall before wiggling her ass and wagging her tail.

"Well? I'm waiting," she said, just before Nick grabbed her ass and lined himself up. He slowly slid himself inside of her dripping slit. "Hey, are you still waiting?" he asked her playfully after not hearing an reaction from her. Cynthia slowly bucked her hips back against him. "How's that? Now, come on, _fuck me_ ," Cynthia said. "Yes, Ma'am," Nick said with a smile as he began thrusting into her. In and out, in and out, in and out.

Both canines smiled in content. "Oh, yeah," Cynthia muttered with a sigh as Nick took her from behind. Nick, meanwhile, kept his gaze on her rump as he thrusted inside of her, feeling her tail lightly brush against his chest and sides. The two continued like this for a few minutes, until Nick got a little bold and began to increase the tempo of his thrusting, causing Cynthia to gasp.

Nick smirked at her reaction. "Damn, you're... _uhn_ , good! Just-just, ah, keep-fuck-going!" Cynthia gasped in delight as he continued pumping in and out of her. Nick reached his tail around and lightly swayed it between Cynthia's legs, caressing he sensitive spot. Hey eyes widened in surprise. "B-Bold, aren't we?" she asked with a smile as he kept fucking her.

"Do you want me to, ugh, get... Wilde?" he asked her. "Don't, unf, use that pun a-again! It'll, ah, seriously ru-ruin the mood!" Cynthia chided him. "Sorry," Nick apologized. "But, do you want it harder?" he asked her. "Oh, fuck yes I-ah-want it harder! Give it to me! Make me cum!" she replied as she bucked her hips against him.

Nick grabbed her hips firmly as he began pounding into her, grunting and panting at the exertion after a minute. His tail swayed erratically as it brushed against his and Cynthia's genitals. "H-Harder!" Cynthia gasped. Nick went harder. "Faster!" Cynthia cried a minute later. Nick went faster.

"Oh fuck," Nick grunted as he felt Cynthia begin to tighten around him again. She began doing it repeatedly, undulating around his length as he fucked her. "Shit!" Nick exclaimed as he felt his knot begin to form. "Oooh," Cynthia cooed as she felt it. "One ad-advantage of a larger female!" she said as she glanced over her shoulder at Nick, who was breathing like he was running a marathon. "Th-The knot, oh fuck, doesn't lock as-as easily," she said with a smile.

"You, ah, sure!?" Nick asked her as his knot grew inside of her. He kept thrusting with all his might as he felt her walls massage his length. "I'm sure," she replied as she panted. Nick grunted as he felt himself swelling more. He wouldn't be able to last much longer.

"Oh fuck yes," Cynthia gasped. "Cynthia. I'm-I'm gonna... cum," Nick panted as he felt the growing pressure and heat of his impending climax. "Do it, Nick! Cum with me! Fucking cum!" Cynthia encouraged him. Nick soon began hammering into her with everything he had, even focusing on brushing his tail between them, as he felt his climax approaching, causing Cynthia to growl, whine, and even snarl. "Fuck me, fuck me, fuck me, fuck me!" she panted as a mantra, feeling Nick's tail brushing against her clit as he jack-hammered into her with ferocity, snarling as well as his orgasm drew closer.

"Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuuuuck! Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck! FFF-Fuuuuuuuuuuuckkk!" Cynthia cried out as her orgasm hit her. She gasped for breath as she rode the wave of pleasure through her body, feeling Nick continue pumping her for another few seconds just before she heard him gasp as he came.

Both canines then collapsed onto the floor, with Nick still inside of her as they both tried to catch their breath. "Oh... fuck that was good," Cynthia said. Nick nodded his head in both agreement and satisfaction. A few minutes later, Cynthia stirred. "Hey... I need to pee. I'll be back, and then we can continue," she said as she got up.

"Continue?" Nick asked her. Cynthia smiled at him. "Of course. You _are_ staying the night, and we have plenty more condoms," she replied as she made her way over to her bathroom, swaying her tail as she walked. "Just a fling, eh? Well, I'd want to get as much out of a single fling as I could too, I guess," Nick said to himself.

He looked down at his knot in surprise. "Well... I've never had _this_ happen to me before," he said to himself with a chuckle before he heard the toilet flush, followed by the sound rushing water from the sink. When Cynthia stepped out, she looked down at him and chuckled.

"So, can you still use the toilet with that thing? Or should we wait for it to deflate? I wouldn't want you swinging that around and knocking things over," Cynthia said with a chuckle. Nick found himself snickering as well as he pictured himself knocking over various lights and furniture with his knot as he tried walking to the bathroom. "Well, I probably _should_ use the toilet before the next round. And I need to build up some energy again. It may take a little while, though. Got anything to eat?" he asked her.

"Do you like pizza?" Cynthia asked him in response. "Sure," Nick said. "Good, 'cause that's what I've got in the fridge," she said as she walked out of the bedroom. "Well, just another ten to twenty minutes," Nick said to himself as he looked back down at his knot. "I just hope I don't burn myself with pizza by accident."

* * *

Judy smiled as she listened to her parents talk about their latest sales. " _And then this one little bunny kit walked over to Gideon's van and you should have seen her eyes! When that little girls eyes saw those pies, her eyes grew nearly as big!_ " Stu said with a laugh. "Aw, that's so cute," Judy said with a smile. " _I wish I had taken a picture,_ " Stu said. " _Oh, we know dear, but we can't just let little kits run into Gideon's van like that. Remember what happened with Mrs. Voluda's daughter?_ " Bonnie said.

"Wait, what happened with Mrs. Voluda's daughter?" Judy asked. " _Well, Mrs. Voluda came up one day while Gideon was unloading his pies for us, and her daughter, little itty bitty Megan Voluda, just hopped up into the back of the van and when we found her, there were two open pie boxes next to her, and her face and paws were covered in filling and crust! Little Megan was trying to reach another box up on a shelf, and if you had seen the determination on her face when she tried jumping up to get it, oh it was the darndest thing!_ " Stu said with a smile.

"How did Gideon react?" Judy asked. " _Oh, at first he was a bit upset, but he didn't yell or nothin' at the kit. He also started laughing when the girl turned to look at him, and she_ _ **asked him**_ _to help her get another pie! The expression on her face when she begged him was just the most adorable thing I'd ever seen, with those big eyes, and even Gideon couldn't say no to that face_ ," Stu said.

Judy chuckled at the story. "Aw, Say, how's Gideon doing anyway?" Judy asked. " _Oh, he's doing fine, Dear. Your brothers and sisters miss you, and so do we,_ " Bonnie replied with a smile. "I know. Maybe I can come down to see you next week or later this month," Judy said.

" _You need to get permission from your boss first, right? What was his name again?_ " Bonnie asked her daughter. "Chief Bogo," Judy replied. " _Right. He_ _ **is**_ _your boss, and even though we miss you, we don't want you to get in trouble just to make us happy,_ " Bonnie said. "I know, Mom. I'll make sure to ask him for permission in advance," Judy replied.

" _So, anything exciting happening so far?_ " Bonnie asked her daughter. "Oh, you know, regular police stuff," Judy said not quite convincingly. Bonnie noticed this. " _Judy, is something wrong?_ " Bonnie asked her. "What? No, of course not," Judy lied. " _Judith Hopps, do not lie to me. Tell me, what's bothering you?_ " Bonnie demanded.

"Well, yesterday, we had to take care of a crime scene at a pool party and... all of the victims were foxes. Nearly a dozen or so," Judy said. " _Were they all criminals?_ " Stu asked. "No. Only one of them was a criminal. The rest were his guests and... someone killed them. The criminal and his guests," Judy said.

" _It was a murder scene?_ " Bonnie asked her. "I... I don't want to burden you guys with this," Judy said. " _Judy we're bound to hear about this on the news or read about it in a paper at some point,_ " Bonnie said. " _So, you had a pool full of dead foxes? Someone just up an' shot 'em all?_ " Stu asked. "Well, two of them, a mother and daughter, survived bu hiding in the kitchen when it happened. Mom, that little girl couldn't have been more than three years old," Judy said.

" _So, someone... Judy, are you sure that not all of the dead foxes were criminals?_ " Bonnie asked her. "Of course I'm sure. I ran background checks on all of them, and the worst violation that any of them had was a parking ticket. The only one who was actually a criminal was the host!" Judy said. "Why do you have to assume that they were all criminals just because they were foxes? I thought you guys had moved past that, what with working alongside Gideon Grey and selling his pies," Judy said. " _Judy... Gideon's a country fox, like how we're country rabbits. It's just... well, I guess we still have a ways to go, don't we? We'll bring more blueberries the next time we visit you. Please... stay safe,_ " Bonnie said.

Judy nodded her head. "I will, Mom. You and Dad take care. Tell everyone that I miss them and that I love them. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Bye," Judy said before hanging up. She flopped back onto her bed with a sigh. "Why can't anything go right this weekend?" Judy asked herself.

" _ **Maybe it's just you,**_ " Bucky said through the wall. " _ **Don't bother her. Can't you tell that she's upset!? Let her angst!**_ " Pronk said. " _ **I was just trying to make her feel better!**_ " Bucky defended himself. " _ **How does that make her feel better?**_ " Pronk asked him. " _ **Well, if it's just her, then it means that the world is still okay, and it'll be there tomorrow,**_ " Bucky replied.

There was a moment of silence before Pronk spoke again. " _ **That's the dumbest excuse I've ever-no, make that the third dumbest excuse I've ever heard!**_ " " _ **Well I don't hear you saying anything to cheer her up!**_ " Bucky yelled. Judy rolled her eyes. " _ **That's because I know to let her have her space! Can't you see that pressing the issue with her will just tear her apart!?**_ " Pronk replied.

Judy quickly grabbed some headphones as the two males continued arguing. However, the yells soon changed from arguing to something else. Judy quickly plugged the headphones into her iPaw and began listening to one of her Gazelle albums, her eyes wide with shock and surprise. " _ **Shh! We might scare the bunny!**_ " Bucky admonished Pronk. " _ **She'll live! Now come on!**_ " Pronk retorted. Judy closed her eyes and increased the volume of her iPaw before drifting off to sleep as Gazelle's music filled her ears.

* * *

Date: Sunday, May 8th, 2017 

Clawhauser knocked on the door to Judy's apartment for a third time. When the door finally opened, he saw a haggard-looking Judy, who seemed half-asleep. "Whoa, Judy. You feeling okay? I was hoping we could started early, but... maybe we could wait an hour or more, if you need time to get ready. You know, get a shower and everything," Clawhauser said.

"S-Sorry, I had a rough time trying to sleep. My neighbors were busy all night... being loud," Judy said. "Huh. Um... what's that in your paw?" he asked her. "Huh?" Judy asked before Clawhauser pointed at her right paw. Judy looked down and saw that it was one of the headphone cords.

Her eyes widened as she realized that it was broken. At some point during the night, she had twisted and turned, grabbing the cord before accidentally snapping it. "Um, you know, if you want to wait a little while or go buy a new one, we can do that," Clawhauser said. "Ben? Just give me an hour and I'll be ready," Judy said. "In the meantime..." Judy trailed off as she walked over to her neighbors' door and knocked.

Pronk answered the door, looking tired. "What?" he asked groggily. "Pronk, this is Benjamin Clawhauser. He works with me. I want you and Bucky keep him company while I get cleaned up," Judy said. "Huh? Wait, I-" "Okay great! Thank you so much!" Judy said before running back to her apartment to grab her clothes and rush downstairs.

Pronk looked at Clawhauser. "Um... hi," Pronk said. Clawhauser waved at him with an apologetic smile. "Hi." "Hey," Bucky said. "Who's the leopard?" "He's not a leopard," Pronk said. "He's a jaguar." "Um, actually, I'm a cheetah," Clawhauser said. Bucky and Pronk looked at him. "Ooooooooohhhhhhh," they said in unison. "Cool."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaannd... I finally wrote smut in my fan fiction. Oh well. Anyway, in the next chapter, a mob boss gets killed, and someone we haven't seen in a while finally makes an appearance!


	7. Greasy Grimy Wolverine Guts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finnick becomes involved in a crime scene investigation.

Disclaimer: A statement made to cover one's own ass. I mean, Zootopia is property of Disney.

* * *

**Greasy Grimy Wolverine Guts**

* * *

Date: Monday, May 9th, 2017 

Nick Wilde was beaming with male pride and energy as he walked through the doors of the ZPD that morning. "Good morning, Nick. You seem happy," Benjamin Clawhauser noted, as did Judy Hopps. "Yeah, well I feel good too," Nick said with a grin. "That's good," Judy said.

"So, how did yesterday go for you, Benny?" Nick asked Clawhauser as he strode up to the front desk. "Well, I probably could've used your support," Clawhauser said. "Nonsense. You're a tough enough guy to build your own muscles," Nick said. "Well, thank you, Nick," Clawhauser said. "Besides, I didn't want to risk saying anything that might crush your confidence. You know how I can be sometimes," Nick said.

"Um, yeah. I do," Clawhauser said, remembering a great deal of Nick's sarcastic remarks towards himself and others. "I mean, I wouldn't have done it on purpose, but I didn't want to risk it anyway. If you're going to do something for yourself, then you deserve to be able to do it without someone saying anything nasty around you," Nick said. "Oh. Well, once again, thank you," Clawhauser said with a smile.

"So, what's got you in such a good mood today?" Judy asked him. "Well, I happened to have a very good day yesterday, and a very nice evening on Saturday," Nick said. "After you dropped Officer Furrero off at her apartment?" Judy asked. "Yes. After delivering her to her apartment," Nick said.

"Uh-huh. Now, Officer Furrero is female... Oh. Em. Goodness!" Clawhauser said with a gasp. "You... you didn't! Did you!?" He asked him. "Did he? Did he what?" Judy asked. "Um, I may have stayed the night at Cynthia-I mean, Officer Furrero's apartment," Nick admitted. Judy suddenly felt a brief but tight constriction in her heart at hearing Nick's words.

"Cynthia? You're on a first name basis?" Clawhauser asked him. "Well, she asked both me _and_ Judy to call her by her first name yesterday," Nick replied. "That's true. She did," Judy said in agreement. Meanwhile, over by a corner of the hallway, Officer Collin Fangmeyer and Sergeant Eric Burns turned to face each other.

"Dammit," Fangmeyer whispered. "Well, you owe me twenty. Now come on, hand it over," Burns whispered to the wolf. "Fine. Here," Fangmeyer said as he handed over twenty dollars to the tiger. "See? I told you they weren't together yet. If they were, then Wilde wouldn't have slept with... Officer Furrero," Burns said.

"Should we tell Chief Bogo?" Fangmeyer asked him. "Go for it," Burns said. "Go for what?" asked another whispered voice. Fangmeyer and Burns both looked over to see Cynthia Furrero standing next to them. "Uh... um... how long have you been standing there?" Burns asked her. "Long enough," Cynthia replied with a toothy grin.

"Uh, if you promise not to tell anyone that we were eavesdropping... Fangmeyer will give you twenty dollars," Burns said. "What!?" Fangmeyer whispered. "But what about the twenty that he just gave _you?_ " Cynthia asked Burns. "Um... dammit," Burns said as he fished the twenty out of his pocket and handed it to Furrero. She gladly took the money and stuffed it in her pocket.

"For the record, Wilde and I aren't an item. The weekend was just a fun little fling. No strings attached. Besides, I'm pretty sure his attraction to me was purely physical," Cynthia said, remembering just whose name it was that she had heard Nick unconsciously mumbling in his sleep after their final exhaustive round.

"Now, if you'll both find your way back to the briefing room, there is _one_ little thing that I would like to discuss with Officer Hopps before the daily briefing begins," Cynthia said. Both males nodded their heads and walked away. Cynthia watched them walk down the hallway before she turned to look at Judy and Nick making their way towards her position.

She slowly backed up before she started walking forward, just as Nick and Judy entered the hallway. "Hey guys, what's up?" Cynthia asked them. "Um, not much. How are you?" Nick replied with a smile. "Good. I'm doing good. Officer Hopps?" Cynthia asked. Judy blinked as she came out a short stupor. "Huh? Oh, um, yes?" Judy asked.

"Listen, I was wondering if maybe you could help me out with something after our shifts are over today? It won't take long," Cynthia said. "As long as it doesn't take two days, I don't mind," Judy replied flatly. Nick raised an eyebrow at Judy' behavior, but otherwise said nothing. "No. Nothing that exhausting," Cynthia replied with a smirk. "Now come on. Let's get to the briefing room," she said before turning around.

* * *

**Later That Night, on Green Furn Avenue, in Savanna Central...**

"So, I don't want to see you around here again, understand?" Vincent Grimes, a wolverine, said to the small Fennec fox tied to the chair in front of him. "Y-Yes... Mister Grimes," the fox said reluctantly, his face bruised and bloodied. "Good. Now, go ahead and run your little Pawpsicle scam anywhere else, but do it in my territory again, and your ass is grass," Grimes warned with a snarl.

"May I please leave now?" the fox asked him agitatedly. "Sure. Marco, please untie Mister... uh?" "Call me Finnick," the fox said. "Yes. Please untie Mister Fuckface and escort him outside outside. Oh, and don't let the door hit him on the way out," Grimes said. "Yes sir," Marco, a large Kodiak bear, said as he untied Finnick before grabbing him by the scruff of his neck and carrying him out of the room.

Grimes smiled when he heard Marco rough up the fox again as the door began closing behind them. "Little shit head," Grimes muttered to himself before he grabbed a glass of wine from his table and slowly sipped it. "Geoffrey," Grimes said sharply. A large badger walked over to the table. "Yes, Boss?" Geoffrey asked him. "I need more ice," Grimes said. "Of course," Geoffrey said without hesitation as he walked away from his boss.

A few minutes later, outside of the house, Finnick was thrown to the ground. He coughed as he stood up and limped over to his van. "B-Bastard," Finnick grumbled under his breath as he grabbed the handle of the driver side door and opened it. Eventually, he noticed that his van was having trouble moving and there was a horrible sound as well, causing him to pull over and stop before discovering one of his tires had been slashed. "Agh! Dammit!" he snapped in frustration and anger.

Back at Vincent Grimes' house, Vincent was busy laughing with his henchmen. "And, then, since he hasn't left your territory in time, we can bring him back in and force him to do it. He'll have no choice. No one will notice if he goes missing. He's a fox after all," Marco said with a grin. "He can join us or die," Grimes said. "Think of the revenue we can make with him and that Pawpsicle scheme," Geoffrey said. "Oh yes. But, if he doesn't want to play nice... it's like you said, Marco, no one will miss him," Grimes said.

"Hey, what was that sound?" Geoffrey asked as he stood up. "What was what sound?" Grimes asked in confusion. "I thought... I thought I heard a door opening," Geoffrey said curiously. "Did you leave the front door unlocked? The little fur ball may have come back," Marco said.

"Most likely. Get the ropes. We're going to teach him a lesson," Geoffrey said. "Yes. I would most certainly like to give this little bastard a proper education. Thinking that he can get back at us, just because Charlie's dead? Oh no. I don't think so," Grimes said with a grin. Just then, power went out in the house.

"What the hell!? He went for the fuse box!" Grimes exclaimed. "Let's make him cry," Marco snarled as he walked through the door. "Oh, come on out, little foxy," Marco sang as he grabbed a wooden baseball bat. He descended into the darkness of the house as he made his way down the stairs. A few minutes later, Geoffrey and Grimes both became worried as Marco failed to return.

"Marco?" Geoffrey called out. "That little bastard," Grimes snarled as he unleashed his claws and slowly stalked through the halls of his home, with Geoffrey right behind him. Eventually, with their night vision allowing them to navigate safely, the duo came across Marco, who was slumped over against a wall. He had a tranquilizer dart sticking out of his throat. "Marco," Geoffrey whispered.

"That's a police weapon," Grimes said. "No. Cops take you alive," Geoffrey said. "Someone _stole_ a police gun," he said, just before he gasped at the feeling of something embedding itself in his back. "What the-boss!" Geoffrey cried out before he fell to the ground, dead. Grimes quickly ran back up the stairs and through the halls of his home, closing a door behind him.

He soon heard the sound of footsteps, and he was preparing his claws when the noise stopped. His heart rate increased as he felt adrenaline flow through his body before the door knob turned. Grimes licked his lips as he prepared to rip the home invader to shreds. When the door opened, he lunged into the darkness, landing on the carpet. "What? Where?" he asked as he looked around.

Vincent Grimes carefully crawled around on his carpet as he searched for the intruder. He frowned when her saw the intruder sitting on his chair in the living room. "That's _my_ chair!" Grimes hissed as he got up and ran towards the intruder. He then felt something hit the back of his head, knocking him to the ground. Before he could get up, he felt something break both of his legs, causing him to cry out in pain.

"You're dead! You hear me, you stupid fox!? You're fucking dead!" Grimes cried out. "I'm not a fox," came a calm voice from above him. Grimes looked up and saw a black suited figure standing above him, before looking over and seeing the other figure stand up from the chair.

"Neither of us are," said the smaller figure. "Who are you!?" Grimes asked with a hiss. "We? We are the hammer of justice, Mr. Grimes. For your numerous and heinous crimes, you will be subjected to the necessary punishment." "You have nothing on me!" Grimes protested.

"Not true. Your associate, Charlie Gringwald, had plenty of evidence in his home linking him to you," the small figure said. "You! You killed Charlie, didn't you!? Dammit, he was my friend, and you bastards killed him!" Grimes roared. "Yes, but then again... he still committed just as many heinous crimes as you. He got his punishment, just as you are about to receive yours," the smaller figure said with a snicker.

"Go ahead, remove this stain," the smaller figure then said to the larger one. "With pleasure," the larger one replied before Grimes felt the dart hit him. "No! No!" he cried out before the conotoxin spread throughout his body and killed him. "How long until the next shipment of that comes in?" Lisker asked Benezio.

"Leo says it should be arriving this Friday. Soon, we can start going after Mr. Sharpo and Mr. Big," Benezio said. "Good. But I'd hold off on Mr. Big for now. Terrence Sharpo is a much more immediate concern," Lisker said. "Are you sure? Mr. Big's syndicate is larger," Benezio asked him. "True, but he could call on Sharpo's syndicate for help if he wants to. No one dares cross Mr. Big, not even the other mobs. If he asks for help, they'll give it to him, no questions asked. It's better to remove any help he could get before he can ask for it," Lisker explained as he and Benezio removed the dart from Grimes' body. They both made their way to the other two bodies and removed their darts as well.

After exiting the house, they both saw a van up in the distance. "Hey, you don't think..." Benezio started. "No. Besides, we're well hidden. You can nab him tomorrow and do a background check, just in case, but don't do anything tonight, unless you want to plant something in there. I'll give Bogo an anonymous tip that this van is parked near the building, giving us a decoy," Lisker said quietly.

"But what if he hasn't done anything?" Benezio asked. Lisker sighed in response to Benezio's question. "Sometimes, my friend, sacrifices have to be made for the greater good," he replied solemnly before they both disappeared into the night.

* * *

Date: Tuesday, May 10th, 2017 

Nick sighed as he looked out the window of the cruiser. Judy was driving at a slow pace as they drove through the neighborhood. "What are we supposed to be looking for again?" Nick asked her. "An abandoned vehicle by the road," Judy said. "Abandoned? Who abandons a car around _here?_ " Nick asked as he looked at the very nicely built houses around them.

"How should I know?" Judy asked in response. A few minutes later, they saw a van stopped by the side of the road. It was a very familiar-looking van. "No... it can't be," Nick said as Judy pulled the cruiser up alongside the van before parallel parking behind it. Nick cautiously got out of his seat and exited the cruiser.

"Finnick?" Nick called out as he walked over to the back doors of the van. "Fin?" Nick asked as he knocked on the doors. The doors swung open, and Finnick swung a bat at him. "Get away, asshole!" Finnick snarled before he realized who was standing in front of him. "Nick?" Finnick asked his old partner. "Yeah. Nice to see you too," Nick said.

"What are you doing here?" Finnick asked him. "Funny. That's what I was about to ask you," Nick replied. "We got a report of an abandoned vehicle out here, well, technically a suspicious vehicle, but all abandoned vehicles are considered suspicious, I guess," Nick explained. "Uh-huh. My front left tire is slashed," Finnick said.

"Okay, but what are you doing in this neighborhood in the first place? This doesn't look like the places we used to hustle at," Nick asked. "I got carjacked. I was forced to drive here by some wolverine and his henchmen, who then assaulted me and told me never to hustle in their territory again," Finnick said.

"What was the con?" Nick asked him. "Pawpsicles. I got a new formula for the hustle, and it works most of the time, but when this guy asked me to give him some of my money, I told him off. Then his boys ganged up on me and forced me to drive out here, where they took me into that house back there, and then, you know, the whole threatening me thing happened, and after that, they sabotaged my ride so that I can't leave here without destroying my baby," Finnick explained.

"Wow. I really wish I had borrowed Carrots' pen for this," Nick said with wide eyes. "Yeah, well, you haven't read me any rights, so it wouldn't do you any good," Finnick said with a frown. "That's true. Wait, how did you know that Miranda only has to be read prior to questioning?" Nick asked him. "I asked Judy about it once, when I ran into her while you were at that police academy doing your training," Finnick replied.

"Oh," Nick said, surprised. "Um, which house did you say you were taken to?" Nick asked him. "That one," Finnick said, pointing at the house with the lights turned off. "Huh. Did you say a wolverine threatened you?" Nick asked him. "I did. Called himself Grimes," Finnick said. "Wait... as in _Vincent Grimes?_ " Nick asked him. "I don't remember the guy's first name, just his last one and his two muscles, Marco and Geoffrey," Finnick said.

"Just hold on. I'm gonna go get Carrots," Nick said as he walked back to the cruiser. "Hey, Carrots, you aren't gonna believe what we've stumbled onto," Nick said. "Finnick's van broke down?" Judy asked him. "Um, actually, he got carjacked by a wolverine because he was hustling in his so-called "territory" and he did not like that," Nick said. "Wolverine? What was their name?" Judy asked him. "Grimes. Same as the mob boss that the pool fox used to work for," Nick said.

"But why drag Finnick's van all the way out here?" Judy asked. "Because, Carrots, Mr. Grimes _lives_ out here. In that house with the lights turned off," Nick said as he pointed to the same house Finnick had pointed at. "But, we'd need a warrant or some kind of reason to go in there," Judy said. "Yeah, I know. Can I borrow your pen? I'd like to get a statement from Finnick," Nick asked.

"Um... okay," Judy said as she handed her carrot pen to Nick. "Thanks," Nick said as he walked back over to Finnick's van. As he approached once more, he saw something laying on the ground beneath the van. "What the hell?" he asked as he got a better look at the object.

It was a tranquilizer gun, ZPD issue. _What's something like that doing under Finnick's van?_ Nick walked over to Finnick, who was standing in the doorway, looking at him. "What? And where's Hopps?" Finnick asked him. "I decided to just borrow her pen," Nick replied.

"Why? Is she afraid that you'll try to drive if she gets out of the driver seat?" Finnick asked him. "Actually, there's something I want to ask you privately," Nick said. "Okay, shoot," Finnick said. "Why is there a ZPD tranquilizer gun under your van?" Nick asked him. "Huh?" Finnick asked in response. "Under your van, Fin, there's a ZPD tranquilizer gun. Why is it there?" Nick asked him.

"Well how should I know? I've been here all night and morning, stuck here because my front left tire was slashed by that asshole wolverine! If I'd known that was there, you can bet I would've used it on his sorry ass, that's for damn sure," Finnick replied. Nick was about to ask him another question when they both heard a car pull up to the drive way of the unlit house.

Turning around, Nick saw a skunk dressed up in a maid outfit exiting the car and walking up to the front door. The skunk knocked on the door three times. "Hello? Mr. Grimes?" she called out nervously. She waited a few minutes before retrieving a key from her purse and unlocking the front door. Nick watched as she stepped inside the house, closing the door behind her.

"Huh. I didn't see her last night when they were beating the shit out of me," Finnick commented. "She must be a maid," Nick said. "No shit, like the outfit didn't give it away?" Finnick retorted. Nick turned around to snap back when a loud scream tore through the air from inside the house. Judy hopped out of the cruiser and Nick joined her in rushing to the front door of the house.

Judy reached the house first, fiddling with the door and opening it before rushing inside. She used her sensitive ears to pinpoint the sound of the skunk crying as she made her way up the short stairs to the living room, where she saw the source of the maid's distress. "Sweet cheese and crackers," Judy whispered as she saw the dead wolverine on the floor.

"Carrots, what's your status!?" Nick asked as he quickly followed up behind her. "Nick... it's him. Vincent Grimes," Judy said. "It _was_ him," Nick said before turning his head to look at the crying skunk maid huddled against the wall.

"Ma'am, do you know this fellow?" Nick asked the maid. "He was my employer!" the maid cried. "Okay," Nick said flatly. "Carrots, I'm gonna call for a forensics team and an ambulance," Nick said. He then sniffed the air and made his way back down the stairs before entering the hallway between the main room of the basement and the room with the main breaker, pausing as he saw the bodies of the badger and bear on the ground. "Make that two ambulances," Nick said before he radioed dispatch.

"Yeah, three bodies, on eight-seventeen Green Furn Avenue," Nick said. " _We'll have paramedics and forensics there with additional officers in four minutes. Dispatch out,_ " Clawhauser said. "Understood," Nick said as he ended the radio call. He walked back up into the living room to see Judy trying to comfort the maid.

"Dispatch has everyone heading our way," Nick said. Judy nodded her head. "Nick," Judy said to him. "Something's going on," she continued. "Going on?" Nick asked her. "The past month, strange things have been happening, and in the past week, how many criminals have died?" Judy asked him. "A lot," Nick said. "Too many. They might be scum, but there's a system for this. Innocent until proven guilty, and someone is taking the law into their own paws," Judy said, remembering what Cynthia had given her the previous day after their shifts had ended.

"Nick... when the paramedics and the forensics team arrive, I want to talk to you," Judy said before she escorted the skunk out of the house. Nick looked back down at the dead wolverine on the floor before following Judy and the skunk our of the house. Thinking back to the reports of the dead lions and the massacre at the pool, Nick realized that Judy was right. There was a connection between the incidents. If only he could figure out what it was.

He looked out at Finnick's van up the road, and remembered the ZPD tranquilizer gun under his friend's van. _No. He couldn't_ , Nick thought to himself as he made his way over to Finnick's van. Finnick was still inside, trying to dial a towing service to move his van. "Hey, Fin?" Nick asked from the open doors.

Finnick turned his head to look at Nick. "What?" Finnick asked him. "Um... I'm gonna need you to stay here until crime scene investigators can arrive with the other personnel. And... I'm probably going to need to ask you some questions," Nick said reluctantly. "Questions? About what?" Finnick asked him. "About the dead bodies in that house.," Nick replied.

* * *

Later, after additional officers had arrived to secure the scene and forensics had begun setting up shop, Nick sat in the cruiser with Judy. "Okay, Burns is out there securing the scene with the others, so what did you want to talk to me about?" Nick asked her. Judy sighed before taking some envelopes out of the console of the cruiser.

"What are those?" Nick asked her. "Officer Furrero gave them to me yesterday. They're medical reports for various criminals who have all died in the past year, in addition to several case files," Judy replied. "Why would she give you those?" Nick asked her. "She told me that it was something she'd been working on for a while, but the toxicology reports for the Fasa brothers were the newest," Judy said.

"Okay... I'm kind of lost here," Nick said. "Nick... do you remember hearing about that bear who was found dead in his car last month?" Judy asked him. "I remember something about that. He was a pimp who was connected to a few murders, wasn't he?" Nick replied. "Yes, and the circumstances of his death are almost identical to the Fasa brothers. Both victims were killed with, let me see, highly concentrated doses of conotoxin," Judy said.

"What the hell is conotoxin?" Nick asked her. "It's a type of venom," Judy said. "Venom?" Nick asked her. "Yes, and named after the cone snail, which uses the venom to kill its prey," Judy explained. "Wait, these guys were killed by _snails?_ " Nick asked her incredulously.

"No, Nick. Someone _injected_ the venom into their bloodstream, most likely through a needle or a syringe, or-" "Some kind of dart," Nick finished solemnly. "Yeah. Like a... tranquilizer dart," Judy said in agreement. "Carrots. There is a ZPD issue tranquilizer gun lying on the ground under Finnick's van. I have not touched it, nor has Finnick. We need to proceed cautiously," Nick said.

"Nick, are you saying that Finnick-" "I'm _not_ saying that Finnick did anything, just that we need to gather as much evidence as we can before we figure out exactly what happened," Nick interrupted her. "Finnick's my friend, and I want to believe that he's innocent, but I also have to look at the evidence around me," Nick said in a conflicted manner.

"Do you want me to question him?" Judy asked him. "No, I can do it," Nick said. "Nick. That fact that you two have a history may be seen by the department as potentially compromising your ability to question him in a neutral manner," Judy said. "What? Are you saying that I would find evidence and then ignore it to protect him?" Nick asked her in an accusing tone.

"No, Nick! That's not what I'm saying! I just... I don't want anyone to make assumptions because of your past with him. If I were to do it, then my neutrality would be-" "Trusted? Because you aren't a fox?" Nick asked her. "N-No! Because I don't really have a shared past with him! I'd have no reason to treat him specially or anything like that! That's what the department would be concerned about," Judy replied.

Nick sighed. "Nick... please, don't take this the wrong way," Judy pleaded with him. "How else am I supposed to take it? I'm a fox who just managed to graduate by the skin of my teeth, and one of my friends, with whom I have a long history, is a potential suspect in a murder investigation. I can't be _trusted_ to remain neutral," Nick said bitterly.

The two were silent for a minute. "Do you want me to go talk to him and let him know that we'll need to question him?" Judy finally asked. "Sure. Go ahead. I'll wait here," Nick said quietly. Judy nodded her head before exiting the cruiser and walking over to Finnick's van, where Officers Fangmeyer and Grizzoli were admiring the artwork on it.

"Ahem, is Finnick still in there?" Judy asked them. "Who?" Fangmeyer asked her. "The owner of the van. Is he still in there?" Judy asked. "Sure," Grizzoli said. Judy knocked on the back doors of the van, and Finnick opened them. "Can I help you, _officer?_ " Finnick asked in a grumpy tone. "Finnick, I would like to know if you'd be willing to answer some questions," Judy asked him.

"Is this for an... interrogation or something?" Finnick asked her. "Possibly, yes," Judy said. "Before I agree to anything, I would like to know what my rights are," Finnick said. Judy nodded her head before she retrieved a small card from her pocket and began reading off of it. "You have the right to remain silent if you so choose. Anything that you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to legal counsel in the form of an attorney both before and during questioning. Should you not be able to afford one, then such legal counsel will be provided to you. If you choose to answer any questions without any attorney or other legal counsel present, you still have the right to stop answering or to refuse answering further questions until you have received legal counsel. Do you understand these statements?" Judy asked him.

"I understand," Finnick said. "Good. Now, I would like you to sign this card in order to verify that your rights have been made known to you," Judy said as she produced a pen and handed the card to him. Finnick sighed and signed the card with his pen. He then handed the pen and card back over to Judy. "Thank you, Fin-whoa. That's your real name?" Judy asked as she read his signature on the card. Finnick merely nodded his head.

"Do you wish to accompany Officer Wilde and I to the station for a proper environment in which we may conduct the questioning?" Judy asked him as officially as she could. "What will happen to my van?" Finnick asked her. "And anyway, shouldn't I be more like a witness? Why would I even be considered a suspect or a potential suspect in the first place?" Finnick asked her before she could answer his first question.

"There is a ZPD issue tranquilizer gun located on the ground beneath your vehicle. No cause of death has been determined for the victims inside as of yet, but such a piece of equipment is not something that is commonly found lying around," Judy replied, once again in as official a manner as she could muster. "So... does that make my van, like, part of the crime scene or something? And you can't move it or it will disturb the scene?" Finnick asked her.

"Um, not quite. It's just... I'm not sure what will happen to it," Judy said. "Until I know for certain that it won't be impounded or vandalized, I am refusing to cooperate," Finnick said firmly. Judy sighed and walked over to Sergeant Burns. "Sarge, do you know what will happen to that van over there?" Judy asked. "Why?" Burns asked her. Judy quickly explained the situation to him.

"Oh. We can have it towed to the station, but we'll need to have some photographs and other potential evidence collected from around it first. I'll stay here until that's finished, and then I'll have it towed to the station. One of the tires is slashed, though," Burns said after looking over the van. "But, will the van still be intact?" Judy asked him.

"Yeah, I believe so. It's not exactly evidence itself," Burns said. "But the tranq-gun you saw underneath it most certainly is. Moving it will be necessary anyway," Burns added. "Okay. Will the tire receive proper inflation afterward, so that the owner can drive it home?" Judy asked him. "Uh... yeah. I'll leave a note requesting that," Burns replied. "Thank you," Judy said before rushing over to Finnick. "Okay, your van will be towed to the station, where it will also have its tires inflated properly," Judy said.

Finnick thought about her words before finally relenting. "Okay, I'll go with you and answer some questions," Finnick said. He felt that he could trust Judy more than the other officers, since she knew him on a basic level, although neither of them were particularly close to each other.

"Okay," Judy said as she led him over to the cruiser, opening the back door for him to get inside. She then hopped over to the other side and got in before closing the door and starting the engine. "Your seat belt, Carrots?" Nick said as he looked up from the reports Judy had shown him earlier. "Oops!" Judy exclaimed before fastening her seat belt.

"Thanks," she said before backing up and pulling out onto the road. "Nice car," Finnick said as he looked around. "Yeah, but Carrots here needs to wear a high-chair in order to see properly," Nick joked. "I do not! The seat is very adjustable," Judy said. "Oh, I know," Nick said as they soon merged into traffic.

* * *

**Zootopia Police Department, First Precinct**

Finnick looked around the small room he was sitting in, with off-white walls and a window with the blinds down, letting a little bit of light through. His ears perked as he heard the door opening before Nick walked into the room. "Hey, Finnick," Nick said as he sat down on the opposite end of the table. "Um, before we begin, have you been made aware of your rights?" Nick asked Finnick.

"Yes. I even signed that little card," Finnick replied. "Okay. Do you want a lawyer present?" Nick asked him. "Why? You know me, Nick. So why don't you tell me what I'm being questioned about?" Finnick replied. "Okay. You can stop talking and ask for legal counsel at any time, just to remind you," Nick said. "Thanks, but can we get on with this? I thought you wanted to question me? Not torture me by making me sit in a waiting room for an hour," Finnick replied.

"I had to ask Chief Bogo for permission to conduct this myself," Nick said. Finnick looked at him questioningly. "I'm still a rookie, Fin. This is my first year on the force. Now, with that out of the way, I want to say this. Your van was found parked outside less than a few houses away from the scene of the crime. A police issue tranquilizer gun was found in close proximity to your location, and the latest analysis of the scene indicates that the victims were not killed with a standard weapon or strangled," Nick said before pausing.

"The bodies are being transported to the morgue for a more in depth autopsy. Please, can you tell me why you were there and how long?" Nick asked him. "I was there all night because that wolverine and his friends grabbed me and forced me to drive all the way to that house," Finnick said. Nick wrote this down. "Go on," Nick said. "The reason I didn't leave the area, as you are clearly eager to ask, is that the one of my tires was slashed," Finnick said.

"What happened while you were there?" Nick asked him, looking at the fading bruises. "I was tied up to a chair and beaten and bruised before being given a warning to never conduct my hustling in his territory again," Finnick said. "How did that happen?" Nick asked him. "I was doing my pawpsicle scheme, and he saw me, came over and straight up asked for some of my money. I said no, and he had this bear and a badger assault me and then force me to drive my van to that house. Then they tied me up, and I already told you the rest," Finnick said.

"How did you get out of the house?" Nick asked him. "They untied me after they felt I had gotten a nice enough beating. When I got to my van, I started it up and began driving, until I heard this awful sound and felt that the thing was leaning too much to my side. I got out and saw that my front left tire had been slashed, and I spent the rest of the night in my van with a baseball bat at my side," Finnick said.

Nick finished writing down what Finnick had said. "Okay. Hopefully, we'll never have to use any of this," Nick said. "I know. Anything you say is never used _for you_ , only against you," Finnick said. "Yeah," Nick muttered in bitter agreement. "Has anything new come from Hunslaw's case?" Finnick asked, referring to an old friend of theirs, a Corsac fox who had been arrested on trumped up charges and convicted years earlier.

"Finnick... I did some checking and... he was killed in prison two years ago, according to the official report. He was found dead in his cell, with a bed sheet tied around his throat. No one ever found the culprit, but the time of death was determined to be around midnight, after lights out, meaning that it had to be one of the guards," Nick said. Finnick's ears flatted against his skull. "No. No, that... that's... dammit, he was innocent! He'd never hurt anyone in his entire life," Finnick weeped.

"I know. But I've dug as far as I can, and I haven't been able to find a single lead yet. Whoever did it covered their tracks, and i don't have enough clearance to actually demand access to anything confidential in the prison's computer systems or their other records," Nick said. "I'm sorry."

"I know. Nick, when you do get enough clout... please find the bastards who killed him, okay? I... he was our friend, you know?" Finnick said. "I will. Anyway, thank you for your time," Nick said as he got up and opened the door. "Does this mean I'm free to go?" Finnick asked him. "Uh, yeah. Pretty much," Nick said. "Okay, and Nick?" Finnick said as he got out of the chair.

"Yeah?" Nick asked him. "You take care of yourself," Finnick said. "Haven't I always?" Nick asked him in response. "I don't know. I once tricked you into hustling your own reflection," Finnick said with a chuckle. "N-No. No, you did not. That... that was _practice,_ " Nick stammered, embarrassed by the memory. "Sure it was," Finnick said with a chuckle as he and Nick walked out of the small interrogation room and into the hallways of the station.

Standing in the hallway behind them, Officers Benezio and Horrowitz watched the two foxes walking away. "So... how long?" Horrowitz asked Benezio. "Whenever Lisker gives us the go ahead. I was supposed to get him myself, but we have to wait or it'll look suspicious," Benezio replied. "Right. About a day or so? At least for the medical examiners to do their job?" Horrowitz asked him. "Yeah. I heard that Lisker was put in charge of the investigation. He'll send one of us out to nab our suspect," Benezio said.

"Which room?" Horrowitz asked. "Interrogation room twenty-three. Can you rig the cameras and recording devices for us?" Benezio asked the ram. "Sure, but only if I know what time you plan to have him in there. I need to be able to reset those things after you're done," Horrowitz replied. "The fox's van is in the station now, right?" Benezio asked him. "Yeah, why?" "Give me about ten minutes. I'll need you to get the tranq gun from evidence later and add something to it," Benezio said as he walked away.

Horrowitz sighed. "Why can't you just do it right the first time? You're gonna get caught one of these days," he muttered quietly as he watched Benezio walk away. They both had a long day ahead of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you... more Finnick!


	8. What Does The Fox Say?

Disclaimer: Zootopia is property of Disney

Warning: This chapter contains some very dark material.

* * *

**What Does The Fox Say?**

* * *

Date: Tuesday, May 10th, 2017 

"What does he say?" Leo Horrowitz asked Furmington Benezio, who looked up from his cell phone. "He says go for it. He'll get Wilde away from him, and then we can pick him up and do what we need to do," Benezio replied with a smirk. "Same room?" Horrowitz asked. "Yup. Bring the big toy, too," Benezio said. Horrowitz cracked a very large and disturbing smile at those words before both officers parted ways.

* * *

Nick and Finnick were just about to walk past the main break room when Lisker walked up to them. "Wilde, can I have your help with something real quick?" Lisker asked him. "Uh... sure, but can I get my friend here to the front desk?" Nick asked him. "Is he the witness you were questioning?" Lisker asked, already knowing the answer.

"Uh, yeah," Nick replied. "Well, I guess it was his van that was towed to our garage about an hour ago, right?" Lisker asked him. "Wow, that quick? Hey, Fin, I guess you'll be outta here sooner than I thought," Nick said with a smile. "Well, about that... see, the maintenance guys haven't started on it yet. They have a few other vehicles to work on, like that one cruiser that Hooper tried driving yesterday," Lisker said.

Nick chuckled. "Yeah. He's better off riding a motorcycle," Nick said. "Definitely," Lisker said in genuine agreement. "So, how about I just get Finnick here to a waiting room and I'll help you out with what you need," Nick suggested. "Sounds good to me," Lisker said as he accompanied the duo to Waiting Room 2-03.

"Okay," Lisker said after Finnick was led inside, "I won't keep your buddy too long here, just a half hour tops," Lisker said. "Half an hour?" Nick asked him. "Well, I am in charge of the investigation, and you were on the scene first. I need your report," Lisker said. "I was going to wait until I was done questioning Finnick to type the report and hand it in," Nick said.

"Wilde, come on. You gotta get these things done while the memory is still fresh," Lisker said with a chiding tone as they walked down the hallway. "Besides, you can describe things to me while typing it," Lisker said to him. "Why not just let me type it up and then wait for me to give it to you?" Nick asked him. "I want to be the first person to see it," Lisker replied with a grin.

Meanwhile, back at the waiting room, Finnick sat in a chair across from a water cooler, looking at it before changing his gaze to the window where he watched various officers passing by. After about five minutes, the door opened an a large tiger stepped into the room. "Are you Finnick?" the tiger asked him. "Who wants to know?" Finnick replied.

"Yes or no. Answer the question," the tiger said. "Yes. I go by Finnick," Finnick said. "Good. Your friend Wilde told me to come get you and take you someplace more comfortable," the tiger said. Taking a look at the tiger's uniform, he saw the name tag read Benezio. "He did?" Finnick asked him.

"Yeah. He said that his meeting with Lisker is going to take longer than he thought. Come on, follow me," Benezio said before turning around. Something seemed a bit odd about this, but the tiger had mentioned both Nick and Lisker by name, and he knew that Lisker needed Nick's help with something, so Finnick reasoned that the tiger was probably telling the truth.

"Are you coming?" Benezio asked him as he turned around. "Will the chairs feel nicer?" Finnick asked him. "Absolutely. Nice cushions on them," Benezio said while looking away.

"Okay, I'm sold," Finnick said before jumping off the chair and following the tiger through the hallway. After a few minutes of walking, they came across a darkened hallway. "Uh, are you sure this is a better place to wait?" Finnick asked, his doubt returning. "Of course. Don't judge things by their appearances," Benezio replied.

"Right," Finnick muttered as he followed the tiger to a door with the label turned over. "Step in here, please," Benezio said as he opened the door to a darkened room. Finnick immediately began to reconsider the Benezio's proposal. "Uh, maybe I should wait back in the-ack!" Finnick cried as Benezio grabbed him and carried him into the dark room. The door closed and Finnick felt something being draped over his eyes to prevent him from using his night vision to see.

"What the hell's going on here!?" Finnick asked as he began to panic. "You and Wilde may be friends, but he's a cop now, and that means he has to sometimes make sure his old friends pay for their crimes," Benezio said as he turned on the lights and slammed Finnick down onto a chair behind a table.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean!?" Finnick asked. "It means that Wilde asked us to make sure that his past connections were severed. He wants people to trust him, and that won't happen unless he helps turn in criminals he's known," Benezio lied. "He asked us specifically to make sure you knew that," Benezio lied again. He then strapped Finnick to the chair and wrapped Velcro straps around both Finnick's arms and those of the chair.

"H-Hey, what the hell are you doing!? What the hell is going on!?" Finnick demanded. "I already told you. You have to pay for your crimes," Benezio responded coldly. Finnick felt the fabric being removed from his face before a bright light was shoved into his eyes. "Gah!" Finnick yelled.

"Now, confess," Benezio said calmly. Far, far too calmly for Finnick's liking. "I don't know what your talking about. Confess to what?" Finnick asked him. "Leo, get over here," Benezio said as a ram walked over to the table, carrying a box. "Inside this box is a tool that we can use to extract all the information we want out of you. If you cooperate and sign a form admitting that you have confessed, then we won't need to use it," Benezio said with a vicious grin.

"Confess to _what?_ " Finnick asked him. "The murder of those three animals in that house. We know that yo did it," Benezio lied. "I didn't do shit!" Finnick snapped. Benezio walked over a punched him in the face. "Wrong response. Now, confess!" Benezio ordered. "Fuck you!" Finnick spat, causing Benezio to hit him in the gut. "Confess!" Benezio demanded.

Finnick looked up to see the feral grin on the tiger's face as he prepared to land another blow. "Hey, ask me how fat your mother is," Finnick said, just before Benezio decked him in the face again, causing his nose and mouth to bleed. "She's-she's so fat... that her high school picture was an aerial photograph!" Finnick coughed.

This time, Horrowitz landed a blow, hitting Finnick's left arm. "She-argh! She's so f-fat that... if you wanna fuck her-" BAM! "You-you have to roll her in flour to find the wet spot," Finnick spat, earning another beating, and a chuckle, from Horrowitz. "She's so fat... you have to slap her thigh and ride the wave in," Finnick said again, earning another brutal hit to the ribs. He swore he felt one of them crack from the force of the blow.

"She's so fat, every time she crosses the street... you guys have to re-route traffic," Finnick said. Horrowitz chuckled at that one too, just before he landed another blow to Finnick's face. "Are you ready to confess yet?" Benezio asked him. "Your mother asks me that every night after-oof!" Finnick cried as Benezio punched him in the face again.

"Well, it's time for the sure thing," Benezio said with a disappointed tone. Horrowitz reached over and opened the lid of the box, taking out a large machine and several cords with clamps on them. "W-What the hell is that?" Finnick asked. "This?" Benezio asked as Horrowitz began assembling the machine and plugging it into an outlet, "Is our guaranteed confession machine."

"It's a variation of something called the Trucker Telephone," Horrowitz said. "We usually save it for big guys, but in your case we've made an exception," Benezio said as Horrowitz applied the clamps to Finnick's legs. "Why are you doing this?" Finnick asked them. "We already told you. We need a confession, since you obviously killed those three animals. Yeah, they were criminals, but there's a system, you see? They're supposed to be tried by a jury and sentenced, not brutally executed by vigilantes like you," Benezio said calmly.

"But I didn't do anything!" Finnick snapped. "Sure. Why should we believe you? You're a fox. A no good, scheming, lying sack of shit," Benezio said. "You can stop this at any time by confessing, though," Benezio said. "I want a lawyer. I want a lawyer now! I have a right to legal co-aaaaaaaggggghh!" Finnick screamed as Horrowitz cranked the machine, causing electricity to flow through Finnick's legs and into his body.

Finnick continued to scream until Horrowitz stopped. He began panting. "Oh god. No-no more. I-I want a lawyer! I want legal counsel! I-I have a-a right to-aaaaaaaaaagghhhhhhhh!" Horrowitz activated the machine again. "Don't let up," Benezio said. "So, are you ready to confess?" Benezio asked the still screaming Finnick. "I'm sorry, I can't understand you very well," Benezio said with a chuckle.

He signaled Horrowitz to turn off the machine. Finnick's cries soon became whimpers. "Now, are you ready to confess?" Benezio asked him. "When I get out of this room, everyone will know what's happened in here, and you'll get nailed to the wall," Finnick said. "Damn. You have balls. Hey..." Benezio said before he removed the clamps. "See. You can't make me confess to something I didn't-what are you doing?" Finnick asked as Benezio yanked his pants off.

Benezio flashed a grin as he applied the clamps to the fur between Finnick's legs. "Let's see how tough you are now," Benezio said. "W-Wait. This ain't right! You can't do this! I didn't do anything!" Finnick cried. "I don't care," Benezio said with a shrug. "What the fuck is wrong with you!?" Finnick asked him. "Leo, if you would?"

Leo Horrowitz looked over at Finnick with a sneer. "Say goodbye to ever being able to have children for the rest of your life," Horrowitz said just before he activated the machine once more. Finnick's screams were almost deafening to the two animals, who continued the torture for a full thirty seconds before shutting the machine off. Benezio grabbed a piece of paper from another table and set it before Finnick and held a pen in his paws.

Finnick sobbed while catching his breath. "Now... are you ready to confess?" Benezio asked him with a grin. Finnick looked over at Horrowitz, who still wore a sneer on his face, before shifting his gaze back to Benezio. "Just so you know, this _was_ all Wilde's idea," Benezio lied with a grin. Finnick screwed is eyes shut as he sobbed.

* * *

 

**Later That Day...**

"There. Happy?" Nick asked Clawhauser as he pulled the earbuds out of his ears. "Did you like it?" Clawhauser asked him giddily. "I... thought she was okay. Look, I'm not a big fan of Gazelle. I mean, yeah, her music is okay, but it doesn't exactly float my boat," Nick said to the portly cheetah. "Just _okay?_ " Clawhauser asked him incredulously. "Uh... yeah," Nick replied.

"One does not simply find Gazelle's music to be _okay_ , Nick! She is a singing _goddess!_ " Clawhauser retorted. "Um... I think you're giving her a bit too much credit there, buddy," Nick said with a raised eyebrow. "There is no such thing as too much when it comes to Gazelle," Clawhauser retorted.

"Hey guys," they both heard Judy say as she entered the lobby. "Hey, where's Finnick?" Judy asked. "Lisker said he had someone take him over to wait for his van to get fixed," Nick said with a shrug. "Oh. I figured you two would be glued to each other's sides," Judy said. "No. Finnick's tough. He can take care of himself. Besides, he knows better than to cause trouble in a police station," Nick said.

"Where's the maintenance garage at again?" Judy asked him. "Oh, it's near the back where the regular garage is located," Clawhauser said. "You'll see a big sign near the waiting area," he added. "Thanks," Judy said as she skipped down the hallway. "Wait, why's she heading over to see Finnick?" Nick asked.

"Maybe she wants to talk to him? You know how she is. Probably wants to apologize for him being brought into the station," Clawhauser said. "Yeah. Until we get a report from evidence on that tranquilizer gun, though, we can't exactly dismiss... unpleasant thoughts," Nick said vaguely. "You don't really think that he did it, do you?" Clawhauser asked him.

"Ben, Finnick has spent the majority of his life on the streets. I've only spent _half_ of my life on the streets. I don't want to think of him as a killer, but I know he'll defend himself with force if he doesn't have any other options," Nick said. "So... it's possible?" Clawhauser asked him. "There's always a possibility, but until we have conclusive evidence, I'm not going to say anything damning about him. Remember, innocent until proven guilty, and that hasn't happened yet," Nick said.

"Right," Clawhauser said seriously. "So... does Finnick like Gazelle music?" the cheetah asked the fox. "What? I don't think so. He's more into heavy stuff and rap and hip-hop. I don't really see him as a pop fan," Nick replied. "Oh," Clawhauser said.

* * *

Judy poked her head in the doorway as she entered the waiting area of the maintenance garage. "Hello? Finnick?" Judy called out into the empty room. She saw the officer on duty reading a magazine. "Um, excuse me, but have you seen a Fennec fox around here?" Judy asked the elk. "Fennec fox? No, can't say that I have. The only fox I've ever seen around the station is Officer Wilde," the elk replied.

"Oh. Um, what's your name?" Judy asked him, as she couldn't see his name tag clearly. "Desk Sergeant Chapman," the elk replied. "Oh. Um, well, my friend's vehicle was being brought in earlier because it was found near a crime scene, and one of the tires had been slashed. I was wondering if he'd already gone home with it," Judy said.

"Slashed tire? Do you mean that van with the artwork on it? That thing's still being looked over. Someone came in earlier and asked to look around inside. Showed me their papers,s o I let them in," Chapman said. "Oh. Well, I was told that Finnick was brought here to wait for his van to be fixed up," Judy said.

"Finnick?" Chapman asked her. "The fox," Judy said. "Oh, I thought the fox's name was Nick?" Chapman replied. "No, that's Officer Wilde's name. Finnick is the Fennec fox," Judy clarified for him. "Oh! Sorry about that. But, yeah, no one's been in here today except that ram and Sergeant Burns," Chapman said. "Ram?" Judy asked. "Yeah, he came in a bit later after Burns had left. Can't remember his name. It's probably on the sheet over there," Chapman said as he pointed a hoof at the sign-in sheet.

Judy grabbed the sign in sheet from the medium sized desk opening. "Leo B. Horrowitz?" Judy asked out loud. _What would he be doing here?_ "Um, Sergeant Chapman, do you know if Horrowitz is still back at the van?" Judy asked. "Check the sheet to see if he signed out," Chapman replied in a bored tone.

"Oh. He was only here for a few minutes. Did he say what he was here for?" Judy asked. "I don't remember," Chapman replied as he turned to the next page in his magazine. "Well, thanks for your help," Judy said with a frown as she turned and left the room. Something didn't make sense to her. _Where the heck is Finnick? He couldn't have gotten lost, could he?_ Judy felt a small knot begin to form in her stomach before she clocked out and left the station. _I'll talk to Nick tomorrow_ , Judy decided.

* * *

Date: Wednesday, May 11th, 2017 

When Nick and Judy stepped through the front doors of the station, they both saw Officer Furrero approaching them with a sense of urgency. "Furrero, is something-" " **Wilde, in my office, now** ," Bogo's voice boomed over the intercom. "I guess I'll have to catch you later," Nick said as he made his way over to the elevator. "Nick, wait," Judy said as she rushed after him. "Bogo only said my name, Carrots," Nick said.

That didn't stop Judy as she leapt into the elevator before the doors closed. Cynthia tried to catch up to them but was too slow. "Shit!" she cursed as the elevator ascended. "Um, is something wrong?" Clawhauser asked her from the front desk. "Yes, Clawhauser. A lot of things are wrong," Cynthia said as she walked over towards him.

Just then, she caught sight of Inspector Milius entering the building with a coffee mug in one paw as he walked over to the front desk. "Mornin' Clawhauser," Milius said as he signed in. "Good morning, Inspector Milius," Clawhauser said with a smile. "You remembered my rank this time. Good job," Milius said tiredly before walking away. Cynthia rushed after him.

"Inspector, hold up!" she called out as she chased after him. Clawhauser raised an eyebrow as he watched the coywolf run after the leopard. "What was that all about?" he asked himself.

Meanwhile, up on the second floor, Nick and Judy made their way to Bogo's office. Once they entered, they saw Lieutenant Lisker standing beside the cape buffalo. "Hopps, I didn't ask for you," Bogo said. "That's what I told her," Nick said. "Sir, if Nick's done something wrong, it's all just a misunderstanding!" Judy exclaimed.

"Um, actually, we were going to congratulate him," Lisker said. "W-Wait, congratulate him?" Judy asked. "M-Me? What did I do _right?_ " Nick asked in confusion. "You brought in a suspect who actually confessed to committing the crime. Good job, Wilde," Bogo said. "W-What? What suspect?" Nick asked, a growing sense of dread beginning to form in his chest.

"Why, your Fennec friend. I know it probably wasn't easy, but you did the right thing," Lisker said to him softly. "I-I don't... I don't understand. What are you talking about?" Nick asked them. "Your friend, Finnick? He confessed yesterday on his way to the maintenance garage," Lisker said. "He... he _what?_ " Nick asked in bewilderment.

"He said that he didn't want you to feel conflicted, so he told someone else the truth, that way you wouldn't feel torn apart about him," Lisker said. "Hold on, this doesn't make any sense! Finnick is innocent!" Nick said. " _Was_ innocent, until he confessed. We found evidence in his van, and his paw prints were on that tranquilizer gun," Lisker said.

"No. No, this... no," Nick said as he stumbled back into a chair, missing it and landing on the floor. "Nick," Judy said quietly. "Officer Wilde, this will be your first big arrest," Bogo said to him. "No, it won't. Fin's innocent. I know he is," Nick said. "Wilde, you're allowing your personal feelings to cloud your judgement. The evidence is too strong for him to not be the culprit," Lisker said.

"But... he wouldn't lie to me like that!" Nick protested. "Officer Wilde, if you continue to act like this, I will have you removed from the case," Bogo said. "But... I questioned him properly, and now you're telling me that it was all for nothing?" Nick asked. "Wilde. I'm sorry," Lisker said. "He's guilty. The evidence proves it," Lisker said.

"What evidence?" Nick asked. "The tranquilizer gun, his paw prints, the cleaning supplies in his van, which match certain stains found at the crime scene. It all points to him. And the most damning piece of evidence is his confession," Lisker said. "Finnick... why?" Nick said.

"I saw the bruises on him, Wilde. Those three must've pushed him to his limits. Maybe we can get a plea deal and convince the courts that it was self defense," Lisker said. "I... I know he would never go out and do that on his own," Nick said. "You're positive about that? If so, then, as I said, we could possibly get the courts to see this as self defense, but there's still the matter of the stolen tranquilizer gun, which he had to get from somewhere," Lisker said.

"Nick... Chief, Lieutenant, can we have a moment alone, please?" Judy asked. "We'll turn our heads," Lisker said. "No. Wilde, I need you to put on your grown-up pants and face reality. I need you to be capable of doing your job without letting your personal life interfere," Bogo said. "Can you do that?" he asked. "Yes," Nick said solemnly. "Good. Now, you and Hopps have parking duty today in Savanna Central. It'll make things a bit easier for you," Bogo said.

"Thank you, sir," Judy said as she helped Nick up off the floor. "Good, you're both dismissed. And once again, congratulations on your case," Bogo said. "You're... welcome," Nick said hesitantly before he and Judy left the room. Both officers walked quietly through the hallway until they reached the elevator. Nick slammed his fist against the wall and snarled.

"Nick!" Judy gasped. "It's bullshit, Carrots. Something is very, very wrong here," Nick said as he turned to look at her. Just then, the elevator doors opened, and Cynthia Furrero stepped out. "Nick, Judy! Finally. Okay, listen, I have to tell you something important. It's about your friend, Finnick. See-" "I already heard," Nick said bitterly. "You-You have?" Cynthia asked him with concern.

"Yeah. I heard it straight from Lisker and Bogo," Nick said. "Oh, Nick. I'm... I'm sorry. But, listen, it's still important that I talk to you, and it needs to be in private," Cynthia said. "Why?" Nick asked her, before he glanced down at her abdomen, which looked normal. "Wait, is this about-" "No, Nick. We used protection and that has nothing to do with what I need to tell you," Cynthia said.

"If it's important, then Carrots can hear it too," Nick said. "Okay. Let's get back in the elevator," Cynthia said. "All right, what floor?" she asked. "First. We're heading to the garage where our meter mobile is parked," Nick said. "You have parking duty?" Cynthia asked him. "Yeah," Judy replied.

"So, what's so important?" Nick asked her. "It's about your friend. He's innocent," Cynthia said. "Is that your idea of a joke?" Nick asked her bitterly. "No. He really _is_ innocent. Take a look at him now and before you last saw him. He's a lot more bruised than he was when you brought him in," Cynthia said. "How do you know this?" Judy asked her.

"I saw him last night, in a holding cell. He looked like he had been beaten recently, like within the past few hours," Cynthia said. "Wait... Lisker said that some of his men were taking him to the waiting area for his van, but Sergeant Chapman never saw Finnick enter the room even once yesterday," Judy said.

"But he did see Officer Horrowitz go the maintenance area for a few minutes," Judy continued. "He's a Third Precinct transfer, like me and Lisker," Cynthia said. "Yes, thank you for reminding us," Nick said. "No, wait... Cynthia, those reports you gave me the other day; they were all from your old precinct, except for the Fasa brothers and Vanderbelt," Judy said.

"That's right," Cynthia replied. "How did you get ahold of those documents?" Judy asked her. "I have clearance for them," Cynthia replied vaguely. "Did you hack into the system or something?" Nick asked her. "No, but it was something I started noticing when we transferred here to Savanna Central. When I was back in Tundra Town, half the place was inhabited by mobsters and gangs. I didn't think much of the criminals dying the ways that they did back then," Cynthia explained.

"After the transfer, though, I noticed that Vanderbelt's death and those of the Fasa Brothers were too similar to be dismissed. And now we have Vincent Grimes and two of his cronies killed with the same weapon and toxin," Cynthia finished. "Wait a minute, the toxicology reports haven't even been finished, so how do you know that they were killed the same way?" Nick asked her.

"The tranquilizer gun. It's the only weapon that can administer the conotoxin while giving the killer time to get away," Cynthia replied. "But... where are these guys finding cone snail venom?" Judy asked, just before the elevator stopped and the doors opened. "I haven't figured that part out yet," Cynthia said as they exited the elevator.

"So-" "Look, we can't continue in the open," Cynthia said with a whisper. "Get those reports and keep them with you today. Read between the lines and take everything in. Read them over a dozen times if you have to, but I can't tell you what I've noticed out in the open, not where we might be overheard," Cynthia said before walking away and heading for the briefing room.

"Well, that was nice and vague of her," Nick said. "Come on," Judy said as she dragged him past Clawhauser's desk and through the hallway leading to the garage. They quickly grabbed the medium-sized Meter-Mobile and drove out onto the streets of Zootopia. "Uh, Carrots, where are we going?" Nick asked her after a few minutes. They weren't on their usual parking route.

"We're heading to my apartment," Judy replied. "Whoa, I think we're moving a bit fast here, Carrots. At least treat me to dinner first," Nick joked. "This is serious, Nick! I left my copies of those reports in my apartment. This way, we can study them during our shift, and see what else Furrero wants us to notice," Judy explained. "But, the Meter-Mobile doesn't have windows, just a top. Anyone could look in on what we're reading," Nick said.

"Nick, do you want to prove Finnick's innocent or not?" Judy asked him. "I do," Nick replied firmly. "Then we have to get those reports," Judy said as she continued driving to her apartment. Of course, Judy pulled over three times to place parking tickets on several vehicles that had expired meters. "You have a strange set of priorities," Nick commented after Judy returned to Meter-Mobile for the final time. "Oh, shut up."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dark, isn't it? Just wait until we delve into Lisker's backstory after few more chapters. It gets darker.


	9. Investigation

Disclaimer: Zootopia is property of Disney.

* * *

**Investigation**

* * *

Date: Wednesday, May 11th, 2017

"Okay," Judy said as she returned to the Meter-Mobile, "I've got them." "Good. Do you want to drive while I read, or should I drive while _you_ read them?" Nick asked her. "You can read them while I drive," Judy replied as she handed the envelopes to Nick. He slowly began unfolding the papers within and reading them as Judy drove them back to their normal route.

Nick spent the next two hours reading while Judy placed parking ticket after parking ticket on the windshields of almost three hundred vehicles before noon. "Quite the workout, huh?" Nick asked her as she returned to her seat in the Meter-Mobile. "Were you reading those reports or watching me?" Judy asked him. "Both," Nick replied.

"So, what do we know so far?" Judy asked him. "Well, Vanderbelt and the Fasa brothers both had their wallets and ID's out when they were killed, while using motor vehicles," Nick said, causing Judy to nod her head. "So... who do you normally take out your ID for when you stop a car?" Nick asked her. "A police officer, or someone dressed up as one," Judy replied.

"A ZPD issue tranquilizer gun would most likely belong to a ZPD officer," Nick said. "Are you sure? I mean, someone could have stolen the gun and a uniform," Judy said. "Carrots, I know that certainly is possible, but it isn't very likely," Nick responded. "And besides, I'm positive that if it was in fact a ZPD officer, then that makes the case for Finnick being set up even stronger. It has to be someone from the Third Precinct," Nick said.

"You're sure?" Judy asked him. "Yeah. All of the incidents in Savanna Central and Sahara Square didn't happen until after the transfer of officers from the Third Precinct," Nick replied solemnly. "The weapon, the opportunity... the ID's... it's a traffic cop. It has to be a traffic cop. Either Hooper, Pelton, or Blackwell," Nick said.

"Hooper doesn't seem like the type, though," Judy said. "We don't know him that well either, Carrots," Nick said. "Are we sure that Furrero isn't one of them?" Judy asked him. "Carrots, she gave us this information. If she were one of the killers, then she wouldn't have told us to read between the lines," Nick said defensively.

"Are you sure?" Judy asked. "Not one hundred percent, but... it just wouldn't make any sense for her to be directly involved either," Nick replied thoughtfully. "Do you think Lisker knows about this? That one or some of his own officers are taking the law into their own paws?" Judy asked him thoughtfully. _Lisker_ , Nick thought to himself. Despite some awkwardness surrounding their first meeting, the wolf had proved himself to be a very good cop. He also seemed to be the least biased, aside from Hooper and Furrero, towards Nick and Judy.

"Maybe we'll talk to him later, after we've managed to establish a firm lead. We need to be certain of just who might be the culprit before we tell anyone what we know," Nick replied after a moment of consideration. "But... does he have any idea? I mean, he _is_ a detective, right? A lieutenant, especially," Judy said.

"Yeah. He should have some idea of what's going on. Carrots... maybe we need to head over to Tundra Town and do some digging," Nick said. "What? Nick, we'd never get back here in time and Bogo would know if we kept our transponder turned off for a visit. I don't like the idea of deviating too far from our set route," Judy responded. "Carrots, we've handed out at least three hundred parking tickets today. I'd say we're good for another hour or so," Nick said.

"Fine. Let's go," Judy said as she drove through the streets of Savanna Central, heading for the freeway and the regional transition tunnel to Tundra Town. "Hey, Nick? Why exactly do you want us to go to Tundra Town?" Judy asked him. "Because, Carrots, that's where the Third Precinct is located."

* * *

**Sharpo Imports Company Office**

Duke Weaselton was not having a good day. In fact, the word 'good' did even belong in the same sentence as him and the word 'day', for he was currently looking up into the eyes of a very calm and extremely dangerous Grizzly bear named Terrence Sharpo. Sharpo's head enforcer, another Grizzly named Girdlier, had caught Duke sneaking around one of their warehouses in the Canal District.

"So, tell me once again just how your presence at one of my warehouses without prior notice was merely an 'accident' Mr. Weaselton," Sharpo asked in a calm and collected manner. "W-Well... I was trying to get back a bag of my DVDs from this wolf, who had stolen them from me. So, I followed him, a-and he... he disappeared into the warehouse. I followed him inside to get the DVDs back, since I need to sell those to make money, and then one of your men just picked me up," Duke said nervously.

He technically hadn't lied, but he was still nervous because he had overheard a conversation between the wolf and a beaver who worked for Sharpo about a shipment of various drugs and money that would be arriving within the next two months. There was also a ram wearing a police uniform there as well, which confused Duke Weaselton to no end.

"Duke... you have a knack for getting yourself in trouble far too often," Sharpo said. "You weren't supposed to meet with me until this Friday, and in this office, of course. Meeting with me early means that you clearly have not finished the job I gave you, and if you are selling bootleg DVD's on the side, then that means this partnership is not very steady, is it?" Sharpo asked the weasel.

"N-No, sir. But, the DVDs are ones that I make myself. None of that money comes from anything you've had me sell or transport," Duke replied. "I certainly hope that much is true... for your sake," Sharpo said coldly. "It-it is, S-Sir," Duke replied. "Now, get out of here, the way you came, and don't come back until you have all of my money," Sharpo said. "Of course!" Duke said with a salute before he darted off of the chair and scrambled for the door.

"Oh, and Duke? Anything you overhear my associates talking about goes out of your ears before it can enter your brain, understand?" Sharpo said. "R-Right. I didn't hear nobody say nothing about anything," Duke said before darting out the door and running through the docks, heading for his scooter.

When he found his scooter, he saw that it had been vandalized with graffiti and garbage. "God DAMN IT!" Duke roared as he began pushing the sludge off of his seat. He checked the fuel cap to make sure it was still on tight before starting the engine. "Oh, thank you. Yes, yes, YES! Papa's gonna be able to get home tonight!" Duke sang before he drove away. "I am a leaf on the wind! Watch how I soar!"

Unbeknownst to Duke, however, a small tracking device had been planted on his scooter, hidden by the garbade and graffiti. Miles away, a ram in a police uniform looked at his GPS as he watched the progress of Duke's scooter. "Duke, Duke, Duke. The weasel with a hundred bosses and a hundred clients," Horrowitz said to himself as he traced the path Duke took to get to the main road.

Horrowitz picked up his cell phone and sent a text message to Lisker. He soon received a reply message. Reading it, Horrowitz nodded his head in silent affirmation before sending a confirmation message back to Lisker. He the returned to the cruiser where Benezio was waiting for him. "Okay, what's the plan?" Benezio asked him.

"Lisker says to return to our patrol route and then hand him the route after we return to the station," Horrowitz replied. "Right. Anything else?" Benezio asked him. "No, nothing else," Horrowitz said. "Does that mean we're still waiting until Friday?" Benezio asked. "I'd assume so," Horrowitz replied as he started the engine and drove them back to their patrol route.

* * *

**Zootopia Police Department, Third Precinct**

Parking their Meter-Mobile outside of the large and unwelcome-looking structure that was the Third Precinct's main station, Nick and Judy disembarked and quickly made their way up the large set of stairs into the station's front doors. Entering the lobby, which was far warmer inside than the snowy air outside, Nick and Judy both saw a female polar bear at the front desk. Quietly approaching the bear, Judy cleared her throat to get her attention.

"Um, excuse me," Judy said. "Hm?" the polar bear grunted before looking down over her desk to see the small gray rabbit. "Um, can I help you?" the polar bear asked Judy. "Yes, Officer... Briggs," Judy said, reading the name plate on the desk. "We're from the First Precinct and, um, I was wondering, do you know where we can find information about the recent transfers from last month?" Judy asked.

"Transfers? Oh, those guys," Briggs said. "Hold on," she said before pressing a button on her desk and speaking into the intercom. "Um, Captain Hingle, we have two officers from the First Precinct here. Shall I send them up to you?" Briggs asked. " _What are their names?_ " asked an old-sounding voice. "Uh... Hopps and... Wilde. A rabbit and fox," Briggs said. " _Very well. Send them up to my office,_ " Hingle said.

"Okay, you two can go on up and see Captain Hingle. His door is the third on the left from the elevator," Briggs said. "Thank you," Judy said with a nod of her head before she and Nick made their way over to the elevator. "The other elevator. Sorry," Briggs said as she pointed them to the other side of the room. Nick and Judy hurried over to the other elevator.

"So," Nick began as they escended to the second floor, "What exactly are we going to ask this guy?" A pensive look overtook Judy's face. "You know... I hadn't actually thought about that," she said sheepishly. As soon as the doors opened, Nick and Judy quietly strode over to the door with Captain Hingle's name on it. Nick knocked on the door.

" _Come on in,_ " Hingle said from inside. Nick opened the door and the duo entered the unexpectedly cozy office. "Huh. Nice place," Nick said before he turned to look at the portly lion who was sitting behind the desk. "Please, have a seat," Hingle said. Nick and Judy both sat down on the same chair.

"Now, uh, what exactly is it that you two need from me?" the old lion asked them. "Well, um, the thing is, we'd like to know some backstory about some our newest transfers from your precinct," Judy said. "You mean Lisker and the others? Has something happened?" Hingle asked them. "Well, we're not entirely sure," Judy said.

"Did Lisker assault a suspect?" Hingle asked them. "No, no-wait, Lisker? No. He's never even pulled out his gun on anyone," Judy replied. "His new one, you mean," Hingle said. "New one?" Nick asked. "Yeah. I take it you've seen his piece, right?" Hingle asked. "Well, we've seen it in its holster, but we've never seen him take it out," Judy replied.

"Not so eager now that he's in unfamiliar territory," Hingle said. "Um, out of curiosity, what happened to his old gun?" Nick asked the lion. "The manufacturer went out of business. It used special ammunition, and when they went under, Lisker traded in for something still on the market," Hingle said. "How many times did he use his old gun?" Judy asked. "I can't really tell you that, although I can safely say that it was a bit more than I'd have liked," Hingle replied.

Nick looked at the wall behind Captain Hingle and saw a photo hanging on the wall, with a young gray wolf sporting a bright smile. "Hey, the wolf in that picture; is that Lisker?" Nick asked the lion. "Huh?" Hingle asked as he turned around to retrieve the picture. He nodded his head as he brought the picture forward for both officers to look at it better. "When was this taken?" Judy asked.

"This was after Lisker's first big case. He'd busted a drug ring that was connected to the Scarpazo mob," Hingle said. "Scarpazo? I remember those guys, but whatever happened to them?" Nick asked. "Mr. Big happened to them," Hingle said. Meanwhile, Judy was tracing Lisker's face on the picture. "I've never seen him smile like this," Judy said.

"You probably never will. He's changed a lot since then, especially after... never mind. I shouldn't talk about it," Hingle said with a sigh. "After what? Come on, after what?" Judy asked. "Well, have you ever heard of the Constellation Murder case?" Hingle asked her.

"No, I haven't," Judy said. "I remember that. It was almost six years ago, wasn't it?" Nick asked the lion. "That's right. Six years ago, before Lionheart was elected, this antelope, or a gazelle, who had escaped from a mental institution, went on a murder spree, killing people with this big sniper rifle of his. He'd make demands for money, and when it didn't reach him on time, he'd kill a random animal," Hingle said.

Judy's eyes were wide with shock, while Nick solemnly nodded his head, remembering that month of terror when every animal in Zootopia was watching his or her back with the fear that they could be next. "Lisker and Shockley, his partner, were both put on the case," Hingle said. "Unfortunately, Shockley was killed while pursuing the killer, and two more animals died before Lisker managed to put and end to the whole mess. I haven't seen him with a genuine smile since," Hingle said. "I think he still blames himself sometimes for not stopping the guy sooner, especially since one of the victims was just a child," Hingle added.

"Um, Captain? When you say that Lisker put an end to it, what exactly does that mean?" Judy asked him. "Lisker tracked down the killer in an attempt to bring him in, but... he killed him in self defense," Hingle explained. "He did manage to bring back the body, though."

"Um, out of curiosity, have any of the other transferred officers needed to use force, lethal or otherwise when apprehending any suspects?" Nick asked. "Well... I know that Benezio sometimes threatened suspects with violence, but I'd never seen him act on them," Hingle replied. "Horrowitz?" Nick asked. "Not that I'm aware," Hingle replied.

"What about Hooper?" Nick asked. "Hooper? Please, that kid is overconfident, and a little weird, but he's not the kind of guy to do that. Besides, the most outstanding arrest he's ever made was for someone urinating on public property. That's about as much action as he's ever seen. He's always too detailed in his reports too. Takes too long to read them. He reminds me of Lisker when he started out, but without the penchant for lethal firearms," Hingle said.

"What about... Pelton?" Judy asked him. "No idea. Nothing ever mentioned in his reports when he was here," Hingle said. "What about Blackwell?" Nick asked him. "Blackwell? Well, I know that he has a bit of a prejudice against foxes, since one nearly stole all of his life savings when he was younger, but I don't think he's ever used excessive force. He may have a problem with targeting foxes over other animals, but Lisker kept him on a tight reign when they were here. Lisker had a lot of folks' respect around here, in fact," Hingle said.

"What about... Furrero?" Nick asked him. "Furrero? When she first arrived from the academy, I she had some problems with others harassing her. Of course, we got that sorted out after a couple months," Hingle said. "Any use of violence in that time?" Judy asked. "Well, one guy, this big wolf, tried to assault her in the shower. She broke his face... and everything else," Hingle said. "Any other incidents after that?" Nick asked. "None that I can remember," Hingle replied.

"Tell me... do the tranquilizers used in the Third Precinct have... alternative mixtures?" Nick asked him. "Say what?" Hingle asked, confused. "The tranquilizer guns in Third Precinct use the same type of tranquilizers as the other precincts, correct?" Nick asked him. "Of course we do. All the precincts get them from the same manufacturer," Hingle replied. "So... do you ever get empty cartridges and darts?" Nick asked. "Well, we do get empty darts, but those are usually for the SWAT guys when they need to get heavy duty tranquilizers for special missions. Everyone else uses the same pre-filled darts," Hingle replied.

"Were any supplies listed as missing prior to the transfer of Lisker and the others?" Judy asked him. "No. When Horrowitz did his last inventory report, everything was clear. I even had Officer Stamp do a second count the day after everyone left, and it came back the same," Hingle said. "So, nothing was missing at all?" Judy asked. "Nope. Now, why exactly are you asking me about Lisker and supplies and the other transfers?" Hingle asked them.

"Well, it's just that they've done such an exemplary job, we were wondering why you guys decided to get rid of them," Nick lied smoothly. "I mean, these guys are good, _really good_. I wonder, did you send them away because they make everyone else look bad?" Nick joked. "Ha! No, I'm afraid they didn't outshine anyone. We just didn't have enough room for promotions here and these guys wanted to advance their careers," Hingle said.

"Although... I wasn't _entirely_ forth coming about Furrero. With you guys making waves at the First Precinct, I figured she would have better opportunities there than over here, since some of the higher-ups are kind of... old fashioned in their ideals and opinions on mixed species relations and offspring," Hingle said with reluctance. "And the others?" Judy asked. "Well, they're good officers. I'm glad they're doing a good job over at the First. But, still, why do you want to know about the tranquilizer guns?" Hingle asked.

"Well, it's just that with the recent killings of certain criminals, their causes of death were from a highly toxic substance that had to be injected, mostly likely from a dart. Unfortunately, due to the timing of these events, they took place shortly after the transfers arrived. Two of those criminals had their wallets and ID's out, like they were showing them to a cop, and a ZPD tranquilizer gun was found near the scene of a triple homicide yesterday. We're just wondering if any of our transfers had been involved with similar cases here or had displayed troubling behavior in the past," Judy explained carefully.

"I see," Hingle said thoughtfully. "Well, I don't want to condemn him, but the only officer with a history that would support this is Lisker, but he doesn't use a tranquilizer gun. He has that hand cannon of his, and he hasn't used it once since he received it. He's learned how to use words against his opponents, and recorded confessions," Hingle said. "So, Lisker is the only one remotely capable of this?" Judy asked him. "Well, as a _remote_ possibility," Hingle replied.

"Um, out of curiosity, Captain Hingle, have any convicted animals here ever been found to have been coerced or framed by crooked officers?" Nick asked. "Well, we've fired and arrested a few officers who were on mob payroll over the years. And, yes, some of the animals they arrested were coerced into giving false confessions," Hingle said. "Have any other officers been found guilty of coercing suspects into giving such confessions?" Nick asked him.

"Well..." Hingle said hesitantly. Nick's eyes narrowed. "Well? Is that a yes?" Nick asked him eagerly. "There... there was an incident about two years ago where I caught Benezio using excessive force on a suspect. After a more thorough investigation into the case, we found that the suspect was innocent, and was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time," Hingle said.

"What was the alleged crime?" Nick asked. "I think it was armed robbery. It was a weasel, and he happened to be walking by the store at the same time that the robbers were running away," Hingle explained. "This weasel... you wouldn't happen to know his name, would you?" Nick asked him. "I don't rightfully remember. I can give you the case files, if you'd like those, but it's been shut for a while. The robbers were caught a week later, and Benezio was given a week-long suspension," Hingle said.

"We'll take them anyway," Judy said. "Okay. I'll get Stamp to get them for you," Hingle said before he picked up his phone. "Hey, Stamp? Listen, I need you to print out a case file for me," Hingle said. "Uh, it was about two years ago, a weasel was involved... yeah, the one Benezio roughed up," Hingle replied after a minute.

Two minutes later, the phone rang. "Hello?" Hingle asked. "What do you mean the printer isn't connected?" Hingle asked. Hingle then sighed in frustration. "Why would you be sending it to the printer in my office instead of the one by your cubicle?" Hingle asked him. Hingle nodded his head as he listened to Stamp on the other end. "Then print it out over there and bring it up here," Hingle said in an annoyed tone before hanging up the phone.

"I'm sorry about that. Miscommunication issue," Hingle said to Nick and Judy. "There are some things that even the IT Department can't fix," Hingle said with a sigh. "It's okay. We understand," Judy said. A few minutes later, a honey badger entered the room, carrying a folder with a few papers in it.

"Uh, here you go," the badger said as he handed the folder to Captain Hingle. "Thank you, Stamp," Hingle said before handing the folder to Judy, who grabbed it with both paws appreciatively. "Thank you, sir," Judy said with a nod of her head. Hingle nodded back before looking at Stamp. "Did you need something, Stamp?" Hingle asked the badger. "Uh, no sir," Stamp replied. "Then go back to your cubicle, and finish your report," Hingle said. "Yes sir," Stamp said before leaving the room.

"So, is there anything else that you two may need?" Hingle asked Nick and Judy. "Uh, no. I think we have everything. Thank you for your time," Nick said as he got up and dragged Judy with him. "You're welcome," Hingle said before picked up his mug of coffee and took a sip. "Dammit, it's gone cold," he muttered as the duo exited the room.

* * *

As soon as Nick and Judy exited the transitional tunnel, Nick shuddered. "Ooh! I feel warmer now!" he exclaimed. "Nick, the weasel who was roughed up... it was Duke," Judy said as she read the file, having waited until their were in calmer and warmer weather to open the folder. "Why does that not surprise me? In that case, I'm not entirely certain that the use of excessive force was a bad thing," Nick commented.

Judy scoffed at him. "It's still police brutality, Nick. Whether the suspect deserved it or not isn't the point. The point is that it's unacceptable for police to use such methods to get information out of suspects," Judy retorted. "Right, and having Mr. Big threaten to ice Duke was perfectly acceptable when _we_ did it," Nick said sarcastically. "Th-That was-I mean, we didn't have much of a choice," Judy stammered.

"Even so, we still had a suspect threatened, and we used the mob to do it," Nick said. Judy frowned at Nick's words. "Still... this _does_ help prove that Benezio has a history of using force, and we learned a great deal about Lisker and the others," Nick said. "Well, there is that," Judy said in agreement as they drove back to their normal parking route.

"But, we still don't have anything to help out Finnick," Nick said in frustration. "Well, we can always check out the station's security footage to see when and where he allegedly confessed," Judy said. "Hey, yeah! That's right," Nick said. The duo then spent the rest of their shift reviewing their evidence.

When they arrived back at the station, they waved at Clawhauser. "Hey, Benny, what's up?" Nick asked the portly cheetah. Clawhauser bit his lower lip nervously. "Um, the Chief wants to see you guys in his office," Clawhauser said. "What did I do this time?" Nick asked. "I don't know. He just said that he wants to see you guys in his office, as soon as you arrive," Clawhauser said.

"Come on, Carrots. Let's go," Nick said. "Oh, Clawhauser, before we forget, can you look up some security footage from yesterday?" Judy asked him. "From where?" Clawhauser asked her. "From the area near the maintenance garage, where Finnick was said to have confessed," Judy said. "Finnick?" Clawhauser asked her. "The Fennec fox who was arrested yesterday," Judy explained. "Oh! The little guy! Sure, I'll look it up when I get the chance," Clawhauser agreed. "Thanks!" Judy said before she joined Nick in the elevator.

After reaching the second floor, the duo quickly made their way to Bogo's office. Stepping inside, they saw the Chief look up from his phone to glare at them. "Sit down, both of you," he said in a stern voice. "Okay, what did we do wrong?" Nick asked him as he and Judy climbed into a chair together. "You abandoned your post," Bogo said. "Say what?" Nick asked. "You left your assigned area and paid a visit to the Third Precinct," Bogo said.

"I received a phone call a little while ago from Captain Hingle regarding your little visit," Bogo added. "Chief, I can explain," Judy said. "Really? Well then, I'm all ears," Bogo said. "See, we... we recently were given evidence suggesting that the recent murders may have connections to similar murders that have occurred in Tundra Town in the past. We were just trying to investigate," Judy said.

"You should have gone to someone who works in that department, such as Lieutenant Lisker or Inspector Milius," Bogo said. "Well, sir, it's just that... we think that someone from the Third Precinct may be the culprit," Judy said. Nick took a deep breath and placed a padded palm to his face.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat that? I don't think I heard you properly," Bogo said. "Sir, we have several toxicology reports and other case files from the Third Precinct, and they bear striking similarities to the incidents that we've been seeing here since the transfer of officers from the Third Precinct," Judy explained. Bogo raised an eyebrow.

"Well, sir, two of the deaths had evidence implying that the killer was either a traffic cop or someone dressed as a cop," Nick said. "Is that so, Wilde?" Bogo asked him. "Well, yes. Both Reginald Vanderbelt and the Fasa Brothers were killed under extremely similar circumstances. Their vehicles were parked by the side of the road, both parties had their ID's out, which implied that they were showing them to someone, and the cause of death for all three victims was conotoxin," Nick said. "Cono-what?" Bogo asked him.

"It's a peptide found in the venom of cone snails," Judy explained. "And, furthermore, the toxin has to be injected into the bloodstream, since venom doesn't work with mere skin or fur contact," Judy added. "The most likely weapon was therefore a dart gun, and the ZPD issue tranquilizer gun found near the residence of Vincent Grimes, who was also killed in likely the same manner, strongly suggests that all of these killings are done by the same person," Judy concluded.

"And how do you know that they were killed with this... snail venom?" Bogo asked her. Judy reluctantly fished around in her uniform for the envelopes. "These are the toxicology reports for the Fasa brothers, Reginald Vanderbelt, and several others who died under similar circumstances in Tundra Town," Judy said as she handed the papers over to Bogo.

"What about the pool massacre?" Bogo asked her. "Well, from what I've heard, that was done with bullets, and it looked like a mob hit. I'm not sure that that incident was related, but the connection between Charlie Gringwald, the owner of the pool and house, and Vincent Grimes, Gringwald's employer, should not be outright dismissed either," Judy said.

"And, unlike the other incidents, most of the victims of the Pool Massacre were innocent civilians. The victims in the other killings were all known criminals," Judy said. "Vigilante justice," Bogo said. "And a traffic cop, especially one riding a motorcycle, would easily be able to leave the scene of each crime," Nick added. Bogo looked down at the papers in front of him before looking back at Nick and Judy.

"Do you have any names in particular?" Bogo asked them. "Well, no, but the connection is there," Judy said. Bogo thought about the situation for a minute before sighing. "Why did you do this during your shift, instead of waiting until after work?" Bogo asked them. "There was no guarantee that the animals with answers would still be at the Third Precinct, and... we did manage to give out over three hundred parking tickets before heading to Tundra Town," Nick replied.

"Alright, I'm going to give you a warning. If you are going to pursue this investigation, then do so during your own time, _not_ during work hours. Also... how did you get a hold of these reports anyway?" Bogo asked suspiciously. "Well... they were given to us by a fellow officer, who is also a transfer from the Third Precinct. She noticed the similarities on her own and did some digging," Judy said.

"She? Officer Furrero?" Bogo asked. Judy's eyes widened and she covered her mouth. "I see. Again, do this on your own time, and be discrete about it," Bogo said. "Don't leave your assigned post without permission again, or you _will_ be severely reprimanded. Is that understood?" Bogo asked them. "Yes sir," both of them replied. "Good. Now go do your daily reports before leaving," Bogo said. Judy and Nick nodded their heads before jumping off of the chair and leaving the room.

* * *

**Later That Night...**

Inspector Conan Milius looked at the time stamps on the footage again before writing them down on his note pad. "Furrero was right," he mumbled to himself. He then started looking at the security footage from each interrogation room on that level. All of them showed empty rooms and consistent time stamps, with one exception. "The hell?" Milius asked himself as he noticed the jump in the footage. There was a brief flicker of light before the room became dark again. Milius paused the footage began a frame by frame inspection, noticing that there several more frames showing the exact same time than there should have been. "That's a static shot, with real time overlay. Someone rigged one of the cameras and then edited the footage later," Milius said to himself as he sat back in his chair.

He looked up the footage folder in the window he was viewing and looked at the time stamps. He scanned the properties of each one until he saw what he was looking for on them. "Last edited... two hours after the live footage was recorded. And hardly anyone ever comes back here to check anything, so anyone could come inside if they have the keys," Milius said to himself.

He thought more about what Furrero had said to him, as well as her description of the fox who had allegedly confessed to the murder of Vincent Grimes. He also gave more thought to the evidence collected at the crime scene and what ws in those reports he had been given earlier that week. "Same weapon as the others, but there's a witness this time... who has to be silenced. Son of a bitch!" Milius whispered to himself as he began putting the puzzle together in his head.

He looked back at the footage of Benezio retrieving the fox. "Benezio... what skeletons are in your closet?" Milius asked himself. "But... Benezio isn't a traffic cop. He couldn't have committed the other murders... but Grimes was killed in his house, late at night... well after Benezio's shift was over," Milius said to himself before he came to the realization that there was more than one killer.

Still, there was one thing he needed to collect before he could be certain that there was a coverup. He needed testimony from the fox who had been arrested. "Time to see if my people skills have improved," Milius said to himself.

* * *

Finnick stared up at the ceiling of the holding cell, fighting back the urge to cry again. His ears perked up when he heard the sound of a door opening. He glanced over to see a leopard with an ugly tan suit and a blue tie walking towards him. Finnick raised an eyebrow in confusion as the leopard approached his cell and looked down at him.

"Mr. Finnick?" the leopard asked. "Sure," Finnick said without emotion. "My name is Inspector Milius, and I have a few questions for you," Milius said. "I did it. Whatever you say, I did it. I learned my lesson," Finnick said sadly. "I find that... highly unlikely," Milius said. Finnick turned to look at him with fear in his eyes. "I meant the guilty part," Milius said.

"Huh?" Finnick asked him. "Earlier today, a concerned officer came to me and implored me to review the circumstances of your arrest and confession. The cameras monitoring the hallway where you supposedly broke down showed no sign of you being there at any time," Milius said. Finnick raised an eyebrow.

"However, the cameras in the hallway and waiting room _do_ show you being picked up by one Officer Furmington Benezio," Milius said. "Finnick, can I call you Finnick?" Milius asked. "Go ahead. Everyone else calls me that," Finnick replied. "Fair enough. Finnick... this is really important, so I need you to answer me as honestly as possible. Did you have fresh bruises when you _arrived_ at the station yesterday?"

The tears in Finnick's eyes told Milius everything he needed to know, although recording Finnick's words also helped. When Finnick was done, Milius nodded his head. "Thank you. I can't make any promises, but I'm gonna try to get this fixed. It might take a while, though," Milius said as he stood up and began to walk away. "In the meantime, just hang tight," Milius added before he left the room. Finnick nodded his head and took a deep breath before looking back up at the ceiling.


	10. The Eye Of The Tiger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hopps, Wilde, and Milius discover that they aren't the only ones looking for a certain animal of interest.

Disclaimer: Zootopia is property of Disney.

* * *

**The Eye Of The Tiger**

* * *

Thursday, May 12th, 2017

Chief Martin Bogo stood next to Lieutenant Milton Lisker as they looked at the bodies in the morgue. Each body was laid out on a slab, covered by a cloth. The coroner, an old badger, stood next to the one closest to them. "As you can see, each one of these guys were killed in an easily overlooked manner," the coroner said. "While it was easy to miss at first, each corpse has a small little mark where a needle would have gone in, almost undetectable, with only slight discoloration near the area," he continued.

"The recovery of the tranquilizer gun near the Grimes residence hasn't really changed anything in regards to cause of death for the others. We knew beforehand that they all had conotoxin in their systems. And, in order for that to happen, it had to be injected into the bloodstream, as venom must," he said. "So?" Bogo asked, remembering what Hopps had told him yesterday.

"So, all of these here criminals were killed by the same weapon. Even though half of them were in a house and the others were in cars, the weapon is the same," the coroner said. "Someone's trying to put the courts out of business," Bogo said. "I'd say so. A mob boss and two cronies, two rapists, and a pimp. Now, granted, the pimp was a month ago, but the connection is still there," the coroner said.

"So... who's doing it?" Lisker asked. "Well, the ZPD issue tranquilizer gun would suggest that a police officer is responsible, and according to the details surrounding the pimp and the rapists, a traffic cop would be the most likely suspect," Bogo said thoughtfully. "However, the three from the house throw that for a loop, and suggests that the first two may have been killed by someone _disguised_ as a traffic cop. There would be no need for someone to disguise themself as a cop when breaking into a house at night," Bogo surmised.

"Very true," Lisker said in agreement. "What about the pool massacre?" Bogo asked. "What? Those foxes were all killed by bullets, weren't they?" Lisker asked him. "They were, but I haven't heard anything from Milius yet," Bogo said. "Charlie Gringwald _was_ Vincent Grimes' head enforcer, but the style of the slaying doesn't match these at all," Lisker said. "These guys were killed quickly and cleanly, but the foxes at the pool were slaughtered messily. It just doesn't fit. The only connection is Charlie Gringwald himself," Lisker said.

"That's true," Bogo said as he thought about the case. _He's right. There's nothing else that the pool massacre has in common with these murders except that the host was a criminal and the head enforcer for Grimes. Those are the only connections, and that could just be circumstantial at best_ , Bogo thought to himself. "I'm going to talk with Milius and see what he's dug up in his investigation," Bogo said. "Lisker, I want you go over the reports that all of your officers have turned in, especially the ones who found the crime scenes. See if they mentioned anything that we might have missed," Bogo said. "I'll be right on it," Lisker said as he walked away.

"Stanford... where exactly would someone acquire this... conotoxin?" Bogo asked the coroner after Lisker left the room. "It would be either in a medical laboratory or on the black market. I can't name any place off the top of my head, though," Stanford replied. "Well, thank you anyway," Bogo said before he turned around and left the morgue.

* * *

Conan Milius looked up from his computer when he heard his door open. "Chief?" Milius asked the cape buffalo. "Morning, Milius. How's the report on the pool massacre coming along?" Bogo asked him. "Not very well. We have a team watching some of the rival gangs and mobs, but nothing's come up so far," Milius replied. "Is that your report?" Bogo asked as he looked at Milius's computer screen.

"Uh, no. No, it is not," Milius said. "Then what is it?" Bogo asked him. "It's an investigation sheet. I'm looking into that fox who was arrested the other day. The one who Wilde was friends with, and I just noticed that a few details surrounding his confession don't add up," Milius said. "Milius, you're supposed to be working on the incident at the pool. Lisker is in charge of the Grimes case," Bogo said.

"Uh-huh. And I'm sure he's done a bang-up job on it. The thing is, Chief, I think that there's a bigger connection between the cases," Milius said. "Look, Conan, I'm aware of the connection between Grimes and Gringwald, but that's all you have," Bogo said. "Not really. Both of them were criminals, just like all of the others were were killed here in the past month," Milius said.

"Others?" Bogo asked him. "Yes. Vanderbelt, the Fasa brothers, and even a few from Tundra Town a while back; they were all killed with a toxin found specifically in the venom of the cone snail. I've seen the toxicology reports," Milius said. "And how did that happen?" Bogo asked him. "I received some envelopes with the reports inside. And the timing is what caught my attention the most," Milius said.

"Timing?" Bogo asked him. "Yes. There were similar cases in Tundra Town, but our cases only started after the transfer of officers from the Third Precinct, which is also located in Tundra Town," Milius explained. Bogo nodded his head, remembering his conversation with Nick and Judy the day prior. "And... I think there's more than one killer involved," Milius said.

"Say that again," Bogo requested. "I said, Chief, that there's more than one killer. We have two rogue cops running around," Milius said. "How do you know for certain that they're actually cops?" Bogo asked him. "It's what the evidence points to," Milius said. "Milius, you can't just go accusing other cops like this," Bogo said. "Accusing? I haven't named anyone, Chief. I just figured out that the killer is a cop. I've seen baddies dress up as cops before, but I've never seen one use a ZPD issue weapon, especially not one that isn't outdated. That dart gun was a current model," Milius said.

"And how do you know that?" Bogo asked him. "I looked at it," Milius said. "Why?" Bogo asked him. "I already said that it's part of the investigation," Milius said. "Your investigation is strictly related to the pool massacre, which is _not_ related to the other murders," Bogo said. "Are you sure about that?" Milius asked him with a wry smile. "Don't push it, Conan," Bogo said.

"Fine. I won't push it. But Chief?" Milius said. "Yes?" Bogo asked him. "You might want to get your eyes checked," Milius said with a smirk. "I'm not blind to the possibility that one of our own may be taking the law into their own paws, Milius. However, until you can prove without a doubt that the killer is one of our own, I'd appreciate you keeping this to yourself," Bogo said.

Milius merely looked away with a sigh before going back to his work. "Milius," Bogo said. Milius looked back at him with raised eyebrows. "Don't... [sigh]. Just make sure that you have solid evidence and proof before trying to bring anyone in, understand? Otherwise... if you are right, but you don't have enough proof, then they'll be aware that you're onto them," Bogo said. "And even if I'm wrong about that, the fox who was arrested was still coerced into making a false confession," Milius said.

"I-I'm sorry? Coerced?" Bogo asked Milius. "Yes. Most likely by one Furmington Benezio, who was captured on video surveillance picking up Mr. Finnick and _not_ leading him to the maintenance garage, but instead to an interrogation room that had its camera rigged just thirty minutes prior," Milius said. "Now, I don't think Benezio is stupid, but I also don't think that he has the technical know-how to pull off rigging a camera or looping footage or doing anything like that, which does add to my theory of there being two rogue cops," Milius said.

"Plus, having looked at Benezio's file, I've learned that he has a history of threatening suspects and in one case, actually using excessive force and violence on someone in order to force a confession to crime that they did not commit," Milius said. Bogo stared at him. "Two years ago, Furmington Benezio was given a week-long suspension following his beating of an innocent bystander in order to make them confess to a bank robbery, which they did not commit," Milius said.

"Is that right?" Bogo asked him. "Indeed it is," Milius said. "In fact, the suspect was one Duke Weaselton, who, despite his track record, did not in fact commit the robbery. Granted, he _has_ committed a few robberies in the past, even before this incident, and he _was_ later found to be connected to Bellwether's Night Howler conspiracy as the provider of the flowers, but in this particular case, he was one hundred percent innocent," Milius said.

"And Benezio... forced him to sign a confession sheet under false pretenses?" Bogo asked Milius. "If by false, you mean beating him to a pulp and threatening to kill him? Then, yes, absolutely," Milius said. "But this time, he tried to cover his tracks," Milius said. He then produced some photographs that had been taken of Finnick after his confession. "See these pictures? These are the fox who was brought in, after his confession. I've found footage of him before Benezio picked him up, and while he did have signs of bruising, those were healing," Milius said.

"But these are newer... and fresher," Bogo said. "Yes. As though they were given to him shortly before the pictures were taken. There were also some covered-up burn marks on him as well," Milius said. "So..." Bogo said. "I wanna talk to Benezio and ask him some questions. I also want permission to find and speak with Duke Weaselton, and not just about his past experience with Benezio," Milius said.

"Then what about?" Bogo asked him. "That weasel gets his paws involved in just about every major incident this city faces in some form. So, if I can catch him, maybe I can learn if he's seen anything related some of our current cases as well," Milius said. Bogo sighed. "You're not letting go of this, are you?" Bogo asked the leopard. "When I sink my fangs into something, I don't let go," Milius said with a grin.

"Fine, go find him and speak to him," Bogo said. "Thank you. Oh! I'd also like to enlist the help of officers Hopps and Wilde. Wilde used to work the streets like Weaselton still does. He might be useful in finding him," Milius said. "When do you plan on going?" Bogo asked him. "In an hour. Call them back if you've sent them out somewhere. Or just tell me where to find-no, better just call them back," Milius said.

"Why have I not fired you already?" Bogo asked him. "Because I'm the only guy willing to do the dirty jobs that no one else wants," Milius said. Bogo snorted at him. "Just be in my office in one hour. Wait any longer, and you'll be heading out alone," Bogo said. "Whatever you say," Milius responded.

* * *

"So, we pick up Weaselton, get him to tell us when about the drop off, and then we proceed with the interception of it," Horrowitz said. Benezio nodded his head in agreement. " _You need to bring him in now, in order for us to get a warrant in time for us to be able to arrive and search the docks when the shipment comes in,_ " Lisker said over the phone. "Understood, sir," Horrowitz said. " _How will you find him, though?_ " Lisker asked. "We planted a tracking device on his scooter yesterday," Horrowitz explained.

" _When and where?_ " Lisker asked him. "Near Sharpo's office. One of Sharpo's guys found Weaselton snooping around and took him to the main office while I was meeting with the others," Horrowitz said. " _Did he see you? Would the weasel recognize you?_ " Lisker asked him darkly. "Uh, I... I don't know," Horrowitz said. " _Make sure he's wearing a muzzle when you bring him in, understand? I'll try to fudge some reports so that some of our uniforms appear to be missing, just in case he speaks. That way, everyone will think that someone dressed up as a cop was there, and not an actual cop,_ " Lisker said.

"Thank you, sir," Horrowitz replied. " _You're welcome, but be more careful in the future, Horrowitz. And, Horrowitz, I want a full report of any and all items received during your other meetings. We're starting to run short on a few things,_ " Lisker said. Horrowitz only fidgeted for a second, but quickly regained his composure. "Of course, sir. Out," Horrowitz said before ending the phone call.

"Okay, do you have that tracker ready?" Benezio asked Horrowitz. Horrowitz reached into his duffle bag and pulled out the device. "I don't know. I have this thing with a screen, but I think it's a music player," Horrowitz joked. Benezio nodded his head. "You really suck at telling jokes," Benezio said while shaking his head in dismay. "Sorry," Horrowitz muttered.

"That's all right. Anyway, which way do we go?" Benezio asked him. "Take us near Little Rodentia. He's on South Chip Street," Horrowitz said. "Right. South Chip Street. That intersects with Dale Boulevard, doesn't it?" Benezio asked. "Yeah, why?" Horrowitz asked in response. "That street has a roundabout that leads to a series of very small alley ways. If he gets in there, we won't be able to catch him in time," Benezio explained.

"Well then, we'll just have to be extra careful, won't we?" Horrowitz said with a smirk as Benezio merged with traffic. "Wait... he's moving. He's getting onto the freeway," Horrowitz said. "Which direction?" Benezio asked. "North-West. He's going into the Rainforest District," Horrowitz said. "Heh," Benezio snorted. "This should be fun."

* * *

"Still no sign of the shit," Milius said as he walked back to the cruiser, where Hopps waited in the driver seat. "Hey, Hopps, why don't you let me drive?" Milius asked her. "No, don't!" Nick exclaimed. "Why not?" Milius asked him. "She'll go into an extremely long-winded speech, and trust me, you don't want to listen to that." Milius raised an eyebrow before turning to look at Judy, who was facing him with her mouth open, as though she were ready to speak.

"Right. Well then, Officer Hopps, continue driving. Now, Wilde, just what other hot spots does Weaselton frequent?" Milius asked him. "Well, he usually sets up his bootleg stands in places where they don't get wet, but I do know that he sometimes goes to the Rainforest District to sell cheap umbrellas," Nick said. "Cheap umbrellas? Where does he get those?" Milius asked him. "Dumpsters, surplus stores selling them for cheap, and anyplace else that he can find something that people aren't paying attention to," Nick replied.

"You ever do that?" Milius asked him. "Uh... no. I was more of a get people to give me things with reverse psychology and their own stupidity kind of guy," Nick said. "Like at Jerry Jumbeaux?" Judy asked him. "Yes, exactly! Carrots, remember when you first met me?" Nick asked her. "I'll never forget," Judy replied. "Well, about that, at any time during that scam, did you notice at all that me and Finnick were different species?" Nick asked her.

Judy opened her mouth to speak, only to realize that, no, she hadn't paid attention to that little detail, despite how obvious it was. "No. I didn't pay attention that," Judy replied quietly. "What about the other patrons?" Milius asked. "Most of the time, they don't notice either. Their prejudice prevents them from noticing the differences between different species of foxes," Nick said. "I'll tell ya, I had done that scam at least seven different times before Carrots arrived, and only once did someone point that out," Nick said.

"Oh? Who pointed it out?" Milius asked him. "Uh, it was this jackal who lived in Sahara Square," Nick said. "I see. Well, back to our current predicament. Are there certain times of the year that Weaselton visits the Rainforest District, or is it simply whenever he's collected enough umbrellas?" Milius asked him. "Certain times of the year? What exactly do you mean?" Nick asked the leopard.

"The Rainforest District _does_ have a rain and flood season. But, it isn't raining _every_ single day there," Milius explained. "So..." Nick trailed off. "So, clearly those seasons would be the most optimal time for someone who is attempting to sell products that keep animals dry," Milius said. "Come on, Wilde! I thought you were smarter than this," Milius added with a huff.

"Sorry, the question just threw me for a loop," Nick said. "And why is that?" Milius asked him. "Because while Duke isn't exactly stupid, he isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer either," Nick replied. "Oh. You don't think he'd pay attention to those seasons then?" Milius asked him. "Well... possibly. Besides, his main shtick is selling bootlegs and committing low-level robberies for anyone who gives him money," Nick said.

"In fact," Nick continued, "I once told him that if he could go three hours straight without talking, I'd give him a dollar. He kept his mouth shut for all three hours." Milius and Judy both snickered at the story. "Yeah. He _loves money_ ," Nick said.

"Good to know," Milius said. "So, which parts of the Rainforest District does he normally sell umbrellas in?" Milius asked Nick. "As far as I've been aware, he's never stayed in the same spot each time," Nick replied. "Great. Okay, what kind of transportation does he have?" Milius asked him.

"Well, he does have this old Moped that he would use to carry some of his heavier belongings around when setting up shop," Nick replied. "Really? I've never seen him using one," Judy said. "He doesn't like people knowing that it's his. Makes it more likely to get vandalized by the animals that he's pissed off," Nick said. "Oh," Judy said as she made a right turn at an intersection.

Milius turned to look out the window. "Well, would he use the Moped to drive into the Rainforest District?" Milius asked. "Probably," Nick said. "Well, I guess we'll just ask where the nearest umbrella stands are at when we arrive," Judy said. "Probably a good plan, but what happens if he's not selling umbrellas today?" Nick asked. "Wait... if he has transportation... he'll be using the roads, right?" Milius asked. "Yeah," Nick replied.

Milius sighed. "All we have to do is check the traffic cameras to see if we can spot him. Do either of you know where he lives? We could use that as a reference point for finding him," Milius asked. "Not really," Nick said. "Damn," Milius muttered. "Yeah. Good luck trying to catch him at his home when none of us know where it is," Nick said. "It was worth a shot," Judy commented.

"Officer Hopps, are we still heading to the Rainforest District?" Milius asked her. "Nick hasn't mentioned any of Duke's other hangouts yet, so that's where we're going," Judy said as she drove onward. Eventually, they managed to reach the freeway and entered a transitional tunnel into the Rainforest District. "So, if we don't find him here, can we get a bite to eat?" Nick asked.

"Nick, how can you think of food at a time like this? We're trying to help solve a case," Judy said while rolling her eyes. "Several, in fact," Milius chimed. "Wait, say that again?" Judy asked the leopard while keeping her eyes on the road. "I said, we are trying to solve several cases at once, all of which may be connected to each other," Milius said. "Uh-huh, and which cases would those be?" Nick asked the leopard.

"The deaths of Reginald Vanderbelt, the Fasa brothers, Charlie Gringwald and his party guests, Vincent Grimes and his two goons, and the arrest of your friend, Finnick," Milius replied. "Wait... how are Finnick's arrest and the pool massacre connected to those other crimes? I mean, yeah, the Fasa brothers, the pimp, and Grimes were all killed by the same weapon, but how does the pool massacre fit in? Those guys were killed with bullets, and the style of it reeked of mob hit," Nick said.

"It only _looked_ like a mob hit, Wilde," Milius said. "I'm not... one hundred percent certain, but I've got a feeling that we have the same perpetrator in each case. You know what tipped me off first?" Milius replied. "Uh, no. No, I do not know," Nick replied. "It was the survival of the girl and her mother," Milius replied.

"Wait, how does that make it the same killer?" Judy asked him curiously, keeping her eyes on the road. "Because, the shots were too precise for a standard mob hit. The windows of the kitchen were only hit once. I talked to the girl and her mother back at the station later on, and I looked at the medical examiner's report on the bodies, which I had to _force_ the examiner to do since the bodies were foxes," Milius said.

"And... what did you find?" Judy asked him. "Gringwald died first. He was the target. The others were killed afterwards, and that duffle bag that was in the pool, with the smoke grenade? I've seen those types of grenades before," Milius explained. "Those are military grade devices, and you don't find them outside of SWAT in most of Zootopia's precincts."

"Okay, so who does that point us toward? Rogue SWAT officers?" Nick asked him. "No. Because every SWAT unit is required to keep a detailed log of every weapon and available ammunition that it has. I triple checked every single log from each precinct dating back by a month over my weekend, and not a single SWAT team log showed any indication of missing equipment. Even the surplus equipment was accounted for, so that meant it wasn't SWAT," Milius continued.

"However, In both the Third and Sixth Precincts, Tundra Town and the Outback Region, respectively, the normal police units also carry smoke grenades, as per special request due to the specific types of criminals they have. The Outback Region just has tough and vicious criminals in general, while Tundra Town... and this is important, has mobs inhabiting it, most notably that of Mister Big," Milius noted.

"Uh-huh, but aren't there also mobs in the other regions of Zootopia as well?" Nick asked the leopard detective. "Yes, but Tundra Town also has a history of some of the most violent and dangerous criminals as well, second only to the Outback Region and Happytown, although no one carries smoke grenades in Happytown," Milius noted.

"So... the Sixth and Third Precincts are the two possibilities?" Judy asked him. "Yes, because I'm positive that our killers are cops, and this started happening after the transfer of officers from the Third Precinct," Milius said. Nick and Judy both glanced at each other briefly. "So... did you receive any envelopes with toxicology reports recently?" Judy asked. "How do know about those?" Milius asked her.

"We received a set as well. Only, Officer Furrero handed them to us herself," Judy explained to him. "Furrero? She's the one who asked me to look into your friend's arrest. That's it," Milius said. "She can't do anymore digging on her own, because they'll find out, but we _can,_ " Milius said to himself. "Um, mind sharing with the rest of the class?" Nick asked him.

"Officer Furrero knows who the killers are. She knows but she can't say anything, because she's being watched," Milius explained. "Okay, and who's watching her?" Judy asked. "Two or more of her Third Precinct coworkers. The majority of the reports were from Tundra Town, and the most recent ones are from everywhere else. Precinct One operates in almost every jurisdiction, while the other precincts all operate solely within their own regions," Milius said, mostly to himself.

"And that's why they're no longer concentrated in Tundra Town," Judy chimed in. "Yes, because they have a much wider jurisdiction," Milius said. "Cynthia did mention something about all those deaths in Tundra Town being overlooked because of the large mob presence, but around Central and Sahara Square... mobs are more sporadic and farther apart from each other," Nick said.

"We haven't had any incidents in the Rainforest District yet," Judy said. "No, but the Canal District overlaps with the Rainforest District, and the Canal District has a large number of warehouses used by multiple crime organizations to store their gains and operate as fronts to hide their presence. There's a notorious mobster named Terrence Sharpo who operates an import company as a front for his smuggling business out there, as well as on the docks in various parts of Zootopia's other regions," Milius said.

"This is the first I've heard of this," Judy said. "You're still a rookie. Of course you haven't heard of any of this yet, although... given your penchant for detective work, you should probably work towards getting a promotion sometime in the next few years," Milius said.

"Of course... you'll probably be put to work in Homicide, where I am, as well as... Lisker," Milius said. "Is something wrong?" Judy asked him. "Have you two noticed anything strange about Lieutenant Lisker?" Milius asked them. "Well... he knows a lot about everyone else, and... nothing _unusual_ , really," Nick said. "No strange behavior?" Milius asked him. "Not really. He openly tells Clawhauser that he doesn't care for Gazelle from time to time, but I think that's just because he doesn't like it when Clawhauser forces him to watch her videos," Nick said.

"Um, I thought that was _you_ who openly tells Clawhauser that you don't care for Gazelle," Judy said. "Me? No, not friendly pop-loving me!" Nick responded. "Rain is pretty light today in this part of the district," Milius noted as he ignored the banter between Nick and Judy. "Huh?" Judy asked. "The rain; it's pretty light," Milius said. "Yeah. Hey, if we take that left up there, that'll take us to Dom's place," Nick said.

"Dom?" Milius asked him. "Yeah, he's one of the few guys with a restaurant and bar that will serve the... less than trustworthy species of Zootopia," Nick said. "Hmm... does that mean Duke Weaselton might stop there during his forays into this district?" Milius asked him. "Well... Dom _does_ have some inexpensive snacks on his menu, and he does cater more towards omnivores and carnivores than to herbivores," Nick said.

"Alright, we'll stop there for a bite to-I mean, we'll stop there to see if Weaselton's been seen lately," Milius said. Judy sighed before making the turn onto the road that led to the Dom's Bar & Grille. "Don't be so at odds with the decision, Hopps," Milius said. "Don't you know that a little food on the job can help you think?" Milius asked her.

"He has an _excellent point_ ," Nick said with a smirk. "Thank you," Milius said. "You're welcome," Nick replied with a smile. Judy rolled her eyes as she drove. Eventually, another police cruiser drove by them heading in the opposite direction. "What the? Whose car was that?" Judy asked herself as she continued driving.

"I didn't get a good look at the number on it," Nick said. Milius frowned. "Wilde, call in to dispatch and ask them which units have reported their positions out here," Milius said. Wilde nodded his head and grabbed the radio. "Uh, come in dispatch, this is officer Wilde. What units have reported being near Curved Vine Avenue today?" Nick asked as Judy eventually turned in at the parking lot for Dom's Bar & Grille.

" _Uh, no one has reported being there today, although Cruiser Ten-Sierra-Five-Three has failed to report in at regular intervals,_ " Clawhauser replied. "Who's using that cruiser?" Nick asked him. " _Benezio and Horrowitz,_ " Clawhauser replied. "Thank you, Clawhauser. Cruiser Seven-Alpha-Eight-Nine, out," Nick said. "Wait a minute... is Clawhauser the _only_ officer we have for dispatch?" Milius asked in bewilderment. "No, I think that Rodriguez and even Sanders take over once in a while," Nick said.

"Guys, he said that Benezio and Horrowitz were in that car," Judy said. "Are we certain that it was their cruiser that passed us?" Milius asked. "Do we wanna take the chance?" Nick asked him. "We'll go inside the bar and ask them if any cops had been inside. I'll do it myself, since I'm not wearing an obvious uniform," Milius said.

Five minutes later, they arrived at Dom's Bar & Grille. Milius stepped outside, bewildering Nick. "Those doors lock from the outside; how did you get that open?" Nick asked him in confusion. "That's my little secret," Milius said before he closed the door and walked into the bar.

As Milius stepped inside, he looked around at the assortment of different animals sitting around and eating and talking to each other. "Can we help you?" came a slightly accented voice from the bar. Milius turned his head and stopped in his tracks as he saw Dom, a Komodo Dragon, looking at him. Dom was wearing a yellow button-up shirt with a straw hat on his head, along with khaki pants. Milius found the sight very strange, but forced himself to ignore it.

"Um, are... are you the owner of this establishment?" Milius asked. "Yes," Dom replied flatly. "Okay. Uh, were there any police officers in here earlier today?" Milius asked him. "Yes. There were two of them. A tiger and a ram," Dom said. "Did they say why they were here?" Milius asked him.

"Is this some kind of investigation?" Dom asked him. "Sort of," Milius replied. "Into what, exactly? My bar hasn't had any incidents in over a month now," Dom replied. "Well, there's an animal of interest we're searching for, a weasel, to be precise, and I wanted to know if you'd seen him in here," Milius replied.

"What kind of weasel?" Dom asked. "I'm... not certain of his exact species. His name is Duke, though," Milius replied. "Duke? Duke, Duke, Duke... the umbrella guy?" Dom asked in response. "Yes, that's him," Milius said. "Well, he was already picked up by those two assholes-I mean officers, just a little bit ago," Dom said.

"Ah shit," Milius muttered. "Okay, thank you for your help," Milius said before he turned around. "You're welcome," Dom said, just before a wild boar came up to him, asking for another drink. "You've had enough to drink," Dom said.

Meanwhile, Milius quickly entered the back of the cruiser. "We have to get to the station, now!" Milius said. "Why?" Judy asked him. "That _was_ Benezio and Horrowitz in that cruiser, and they have Weaselton," Milius said. "Shit," Nick swore. "Hopps, take us back to the station as fast as you can," Milius said.

* * *

Horrowitz kept his eyes on the road as Benezio looked back at Duke Weaselton, who was in the back seat with a muzzle over his mouth. "So, miss me?" Benezio asked him. "Do I know you?" Duke asked through the muzzle. "We've met before," Benezio said. "Remember the fun times we had in Tundra Town?" Benezio asked him.

Duke's eyes widened in fear as the memory returned to him. "Y-You!" Duke cried through the muzzle. "That's right, me!" Benezio chuckled. "W-What do you want from me? I didn't do nothin'!" Duke pleaded. "That's a double negative, which turns into a positive. So, you _did_ do something," Benezio said with a smile.

"What do you _want!?_ " Duke asked him. "I want you to tell us about that meeting with Sharpo, and the date and time for their next shipment of drugs and other stolen goods," Benezio said. Horrowitz glanced at the tiger briefly, wondering how he found out about that part. "Are you kidding!? I don't know any of that!" Duke cried through the muzzle. "Oh, yes you do. Or at least you will when we refresh your memory at the station," Benezio said.

"No. Not again. You-You can't do this to me again!" Duke pleaded. "Sure I can," Benezio replied with a shrug. "I ain't saying shit to you! I didn't do anything! I want a lawyer!" Duke cried out. "Duke, you're going to talk without a lawyer, or else _POP_ goes the weasel," Benezio said. "Oh yeah, and what exactly makes you think that I won't tell your cop friends that you abducted me without any cause!?" Duke retorted.

"The fact that you injured Horrowitz. When they see the claw marks on him, they'll know why we had to put the muzzle on you and sedate you," Benezio said. "Wait, the what?" Horrowitz asked Benezio. "Leo, you'll need to let me scratch you a bit before we take him inside," Benezio said. "The hell I will!" Horrowitz said.

"Oh, yes you will, or maybe I'll tell Lisker that you've relapsed. I'm sure he'd love to know that you couldn't quit your addiction," Benezio said with a smirk. "You bastard! You wouldn't!" Horrowitz exclaimed. "I would," Benezio said. Horrowitz sighed. "Fine. When we get there, you can do what you need to do," Horrowitz said in resignation.

"See that?" Benezio asked Duke. "That's the power of fear. That's the same power that I'm going to use to make you talk and confess to your wrongdoings. You're going to tell us that the shipment is arriving tomorrow, and you're going to tell us what time, and maybe you'll get a light sentence for keeping your trap shut about everything else," Benezio continued.

Duke gulped. At that moment, even the threat of being iced by Mr. Big seemed preferable to the torture that he knew Benezio was capable of inflicting upon him. "Um... what about the sedative? I forgot to bring any along," Horrowitz said. "Well, if he keeps quiet, maybe we won't need that story, and we won't have to worry about anything," Benezio said.

"After all... who would believe a thieving weasel like Duke anyway, especially with his record?" Benezio asked Horrowitz. "Ha, yeah! Um, you _were_ just kidding about telling Lisker, though, right?" Horrowitz asked him. "No. I was being serious. You need to get help after we intercept the shipment on Friday, or else I'll tell Lisker myself," Benezio said. "Fuck," Horrowitz swore.

"He knows that you've been taking things from the evidence lockers, Leo. You need to come clean to him and get yourself into some kind of rehabilitation program before things spiral out of control," Benezio said softly. "I know," Horrowitz said sadly as he kept driving.

* * *

**Zootopia Police Department Headquarters, First Precinct**

Judy parked the cruiser in its usual spot before Milius leapt out, not bothering to wait for her or Nick to catch up. "Look, their cruiser's here," Milius said as he saw cruiser 10-S-5-3 parked near the back. "Hey, Inspector, wait!" Nick called out. "No time! Benezio already has Weaselton, and if I'm right, he's going to interrogate him the way he interrogated your friend and force him to sign a false confession," Milius said.

"Wait... what?" Nick asked him. "Oh, come on, Wilde! Don't tell me the thought hasn't occurred to you that your friend Finnick was basically tortured into giving a false confession," Milius said. "It occurred, but I didn't have any proof to back it up, so I've kept my mouth shut," Nick said. "Benezio has to be involved in the other cases. He may not be the one who killed the Fasa brothers or Vanderbelt, but he had to have been involved with Grimes in some way," Milius said.

"What proof do you have of that?" Judy asked as the trio ran over doors of the garage and entered the rest of the station. "Why else? Benezio was using Finnick as a scapegoat to make sure no one would suspect him, and the same weapon from the Fasa brothers and Vanderbelt's murder was used on Grimes and his cronies, remember?" Milius replied.

"So, there are two killers, or Benezio is working with the killer," Milius said. "Either way, Benezio tortured your friend into a false confession, just to keep everyone off the trail," Milius said. "So, why abduct Weaselton?" Nick asked. "Weaselton gets his paws into everything around here. I wouldn't be surprised if he had witnessed something that he wasn't supposed to see," Milius said as they ran through the hallway and entered the lobby.

"Clawhauser," Milius said. "Hey, Inspector, what can I do for you?" Clawhauser asked. "Did you see Benezio and Horrowitz enter the building earlier?" Milius asked him. "No. They didn't report back in yet," Clawhauser said. "But we saw their car in the garage," Judy said.

"Are you sure it was theirs?" Clawhauser asked her. "I'm positive. It was cruiser Ten-Sierra-Five-Three," Judy replied. "The interrogation section," Milius said before sprinting down the hallway. Nick and Judy followed him, leaving Clawhauser staring back at them, confused and bewildered.

* * *

Benezio decked Weaselton again. "Now, just say that you were there and sign it already," Benezio said. He and Weaselton were the only ones in the room. Horrowitz had decided to sit this one out. That was fine with Benezio.

"N-No," Duke said, his snout bloodied and bruised. "I didn't do anything, and I ain't sayin' anything!" he spat at Benezio. "I can do this all day," Benezio said. "So can I," Duke responded defiantly. "Well then, let's see how you like the newest tool that I have," Benezio said, walking over to a table where a box sat. He grabbed the box and carried it over to the table where Duke was seated, opening it and taking out the Trucker Telephone.

"Now, let's try this again. Tell me what you heard and saw," Benezio said. Duke looked over at the camera in the corner of the room before glancing at Benezio. Taking a breath, Duke glared at Benezio. "I saw your buddy making a deal with one of Sharpo's guys and taking some money from him," Duke said with a sneer.

"Wrong answer," Benezio said coldly as he retrieved the cables and clamps from the box and began setting them up. He attached the clamps to Duke's arms. "Now, let's try again," Benezio said with a grin as he prepared to turn on the machine. Duke screwed his eyes shut as he prepared himself for what was to come.

"And, pop goes the-" " _ **BENEZIO!**_ " shouted a new voice as the door to the room was kicked open. Benezio looked over to see Nick Wild, Judy Hopps, and Inspector Milius in the doorway, with Nick glaring at him. "So _this_ is what you did to Finnick," Nick said with a growl in his voice. Benezio simply stared at the group in shock.

Duke opened his eyes in surprise and looked at the trio with hope. "L-Long Ears?" Duke asked as he saw Judy's face. Judy walked over to the chair that Duke was strapped into and then glared at Benezio. "You... _monster_ ," Judy spat. "You don't understand, Hopps. He's withholding important information. This is the only way to get it out of him," Benezio said in a bid to defend himself.

"Is that so?" Milius asked coolly as he slowly walked over to Benezio. "From where I'm standing, it looks like you're torturing him," Milius said. "It's for the greater good," Benezio responded. "Right, and I suppose that framing Finnick was also for the greater good?" Nick asked as he stepped forward and glared at the tiger.

"I wouldn't expect you to understand, Wilde. There's a large shipment of drugs being delivered to a dock under Sharpo's control tomorrow, and we need to know when and where so that we can set up an interception team," Benezio said. "Hmm, out of curiosity, since this _is_ an interrogation, did you read him his rights?" Milius asked him.

Benezio's eyes widened. "Hell no! He threw me in a car and strapped me to this chair as soon as we got here!" Duke shouted. "Well, Benezio... did you read the suspect his rights prior to questioning him?" Milius asked calmly. "It's a simple question, Furmington," Milius said. "Yeah. Or did you just beat him up and threaten him like you did with Finnick!?" Nick asked him.

"Wilde, cool your jets," Milius said. "Now, Officer Benezio, I am going to ask you again. Did you read the suspect his rights prior to questioning him?" Milius asked once more. Benezio stayed quiet. "Hopps... please go get Bogo," Milius requested. "But what about Weaselton?" she asked as she attempted to loosen his restraints. "Leave him for now. We need to make sure that the Chief sees what Benezio was trying to do," Milius replied.

Judy looked at Duke apologetically. "I'm sorry about this," Judy said to him before she took off and ran through the halls of the station. "You know... I'm not really surprised, Benezio," Milius said. "I read about your little stunt last month, and I even read about your last encounter with Weaselton. Only... you probably won't be getting a mere one-week suspension for this," he added.

"Your ass is grass," Nick said to the tiger. "Shut it, Wilde," Benezio growled. "If it weren't for that uniform, you'd already be in a cell where you belong, just like the rest of your kind," Benezio spat at him. "Fuck you, asshole!" Nick snapped back. "That's enough! Both of you, shut up and stay quiet until Hopps returns with Bogo," Milius said.

"Wait... where's Horrowitz?" Milius asked as he scanned the room. "I don't know," Benezio replied. "We went separate ways after we got back," he continued. "I guess he didn't want anything to do with it this time, did he?" Milius asked, remembering Finnick's recount of the abuse and torture that both Benezio and Horrowitz had put him through.

Benezio simply stayed silent. Several minutes passed before everyone heard the hoof steps in the hallway and turned around to see Chief Bogo looking in with shock, anger, and disbelief in his eyes. Bogo said nothing as he walked into the room and looked around, focusing his attention of the Trucker Telephone and the clamps that were attached to Weaselton. He looked back over at Benezio with a frown.

"Chief... I can explain," Benezio said. "Can you? Can you explain _this!?_ " Bogo asked as he pointed at Duke, who was still tied up. "I... I was... using enhanced interrogation techniques, sir. Weaselton has information regarding a shipment of drugs being delivered to a warehouse owned by Terrence Sharpo tomorrow, and we need that information in order to put together a sting operation," Benezio explained.

"Oh... is that so?" Bogo asked in mock surprise. "And... I suppose that using an electric shock device is... acceptable?" "Well, yes, in this instance," Benezio replied. "Really? Because... this looks like torture to me, and in Zootopia... we do NOT FUCKING TORTURE!" Bogo roared at the tiger. "Benezio... give me your badge. You aren't officially fired yet, but I'll make sure that the process goes through once an official investigation has been conducted," Bogo said.

"Um... we also don't know if he read the suspect his right prior to questioning," Milius chimed in. Bogo turned to look at him. "This is still an interrogation, and if the suspect's rights are not made known to them prior to questioning, then anything they say can be considered inadmissible especially if they are coerced into giving out information under extreme duress and the use of excessive force and torture," Milius continued in a professional tone.

"Benezio... did you read the suspect his rights before doing this?" Bogo asked him. Benezio withered under Bogo's gaze. "No," Benezio finally whispered. "No? I see," Bogo said with a sigh. "A full investigation will have to be performed," Bogo said. "Don't forget about the fox he tortured," Milius said. "The who?" Bogo asked. "Finnick. The Fennec fox who allegedly confessed to the murders of Grimes and his cohorts? I have a very tear-filled story recorded from the fox's cell about the abuse that you and _Horrowitz_ put him through," Milius said.

Benezio's eyes widened. "Yeah... you're pretty much fucked, Benezio," Milius said. "Milius," Bogo warned. "You only have his word, and he's a fox! They're known liars and thieves!" Benezio snarled. "We have evidence of the video footage for the interrogation room being tampered with during the course of the interrogation, and evidence of you picking him up from the waiting room," Milius said.

"We trusted you, Benezio," Judy said. "Half the force trusted you and looked up to you," she continued. "Hopps, not now," Bogo said. "Now, as I was saying. Benezio, please hand me your badge," Bogo requested. Benezio reluctantly took off his badge and handed hit to the cape buffalo. "Thank you. You truly were an exceptional officer, Benezio, but this... this is unacceptable," Bogo said sadly. "Um, excuse me," Duke said with a chuckle, causing everyone to turn their attention to him. "I know that this has been a bit of a rough day, for everyone, but if it's at all possible, well... I'd rather not spend the rest of this day _STRAPPED TO THIS FUCKING CHAIR!_ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, the final line was indeed a paraphrased reference to John Carpenter's THE THING (1982).


	11. Frame Work

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lisker investigates Benezio's arrest and takes matters into his own paws in order to draw attention away from the rest of his ring.

Disclaimer: Zootopia is property of Disney.

* * *

**Frame Work**

* * *

Date: Friday, May 13th, 2017 

Lisker paused the footage before rewinding it again. " _What about Horrowitz? He was also present at the fox's interrogation, wasn't he?_ " Bogo asked in the video. " _I forced him into it,_ " Benezio lied. " _How?_ " Bogo asked. Lisker frowned as he listened. " _I found some skeletons in his closet and threatened to expose them if he didn't cooperate with me,_ " Benezio said.

Lisker paused the video and closed his eyes. Benezio was his friend, but he had also become a liability. However, with the story that he was weaving to Bogo, Lisker knew that he could still trust the tiger to remain loyal to him and their cause. He unpaused the video again. " _Is that so? Would you care to tell them to me?_ " Bogo asked.

" _No. He did his part, so I won't say anything,_ " Benezio lied again. " _And if we ask him about this, he'll tell us the same thing?_ " Bogo asked him. " _Well... I may have also vaguely threatened to... put him in the hospital as well, so to speak,_ " Benezio lied once more. " _I still don't understand, Furmington. Why would you do this?_ " Bogo asked him.

" _I thought I was doing the right thing. They were criminals, so I didn't see anything wrong with what I was doing,_ " Benezio said. " _That tranquilizer gun... was that yours?_ " Bogo asked him. " _It wasn't my property, but I did use it. I forced Horrowitz to put the same cleaning supplies I had used on it in the fox's van, so that the stains on it would match,_ " Benezio said.

" _Does this mean the you admit to the murder of Vincent Grimes and his associates?_ " Bogo asked the tiger. " _I... yes, Chief,_ " Benezio said. Lisker silently nodded his head in approval as he watched Benezio continue talking to Chief Bogo. " _Now, you admit to killing Grimes, but what about the others?_ " Bogo asked him. " _Others?_ " Benezio asked. " _I'm not referring to the other two animals in his house. I mean the Fasa Brothers, Reginald Vanderbelt, and a few other criminals on this list, all of whom were killed with the same toxin as Grimes,_ " Bogo said.

" _Well... I-_ " " _You've never had duty on a motorcycle, Benezio, and most of your partners haven't been from the Third Precinct. You couldn't have killed all of them,_ " Bogo said. Benezio sighed and looked down at the table. " _Come on, who's the other one?_ " Bogo asked him. " _I don't know. I don't know who they are. I received a note in my locker, telling me where to find the gun, and giving me the address of Vincent Grimes. I destroyed the note at home later, after memorizing the address,_ " Benezio lied.

" _Did you recognize the hand writing?_ " Bogo asked him. " _No. It was typed on print paper, and it seemed like it had been cut from a larger paper with scissors. It was on the bottom of my locker. I don't know who put it there,_ " Benezio lied again.

At this point, Lisker was no longer paying attention to the video. The part that had caught his attention was when Bogo had mentioned the list of other criminals killed with the same weapon. That was the part that worried him the most. _I can understand them having reports for Vanderbelt and the Fasa brothers, but the others from the Third Precinct? Someone gave them that information,_ Lisker thought to himself.

Lisker began pulling up video footage from earlier on Thursday and Wednesday, going through each camera to see who had contact with the trio who had caught Benezio. Eventually, after two hours of careful scrutinizing, he found his quarry. "Bingo," Lisker said with a frown. "I should have known," he said to himself.

He looked down at his watch. The time given to Horrowitz by Sharpo's liaison would pass in a few hours, but it wouldn't matter at this point. With Benezio's arrest and actions, the entire operation had been thrown off. They would have to wait until the next month's delivery before they could strike at Sharpo. Unfortunately, with how close Wilde, Hopps, and Milius were getting to the rest of the ring, Lisker knew that his group would have to curb back their actions and wait.

However, the animal who had given information to Milius and the others still had to be dealt with before they could screw things up further. Lisker took out his cell phone and sent text messages to two of his other subordinates. If they did this right, then they could remove two obstacles instead of just one.

* * *

"So, Fin, how does it feel to know that you'll be free soon?" Nick asked his friend, who was still being held in a cell. "Define soon," Finnick said grumpily. "Another hour, I suppose," Nick replied. "Well... I guess it feels good to be proven innocent," Finnick said. "When you get out, would you like to go get something to eat?" Nick asked him.

"Nick... I'm sorry, but... I've had my fill of bein' around cops. Maybe some other time, but... I need to know... why didn't you try to help me sooner? Why didn't you come talk to me as soon as you heard about this to get some answers?" Finnick asked him. "I... the Chief and Lieutenant Lisker both told me to stay away," Nick said. "What? So someone tells you to stay away from your friend after he's been hurt, and you do what they say? Nick, that tiger tried to lie to me by saying that you told them to do that to me!" Finnick exclaimed.

"What!? I would never have someone do that to you!" Nick replied. "Then why didn't you come see me to hear my side of the story? I'm your friend! You should have at least tried to hear my side!" Finnick shouted at him. "Would you have tried to tell me the truth?" Nick asked him. "I... I don't know," Finnick replied quietly. "I just... I have too much anger inside me right now, Nicky. I need to be alone for a while," Finnick said.

"Would you like... someone else to escort you when you're released?" Nick asked him. "Maybe," Finnick replied before he sat down on a bench in the cell. "I'm sorry, Finnick," Nick said. "I know. But, like I said, I need to be alone for a while. I'll see you around," Finnick replied. "Yeah. See you around," Nick said quietly as he walked away.

Nick made his way to the locker room where he grabbed his stuff before heading out to the lobby. "Later, Clawhauser," Nick said as he waved to the cheetah. "Later Nick," Clawhauser said with a smile as he waved to him.

* * *

Date: Saturday, May 14th, 2017 

Cynthia Furrero had just finished her shower when she heard the door bell ringing. Her ears perked up in curiosity as she exited the bathroom with a towel around her. "A girl can't even dry off," she muttered in annoyance. The bell rang again. "Okay, I'm coming, just hold on," Cynthia barked as she approached the door.

The bell rang one more time before she reached it. "Okay, who is it?" she asked as she peeked through the peep hole. The hallway was empty. Immediately, Cynthia felt a sense of foreboding as she slowly backed away and returned to her bedroom, closing the door and searching for her cell phone. "Where did I-oh _shit!_ " she hissed as she remembered that she had taken it into the bathroom while she was getting her shower.

Slowly opening the door, Cynthia quietly crept through her short hallway before entering the living room, going past the kitchenette and heading for the bathroom. Entering the bathroom, she grabbed her phone, just in time to hear the apartment door creak open a second before the lights in the living room and kitchenette went out. Cynthia's fur began to stand up as fear coursed through her veins.

She gulped and took a deep breath as she remembered her training and kept her paws and claws ready. She kept her eyes on the doorway of the bathroom, looking out into the darkness that had enveloped the rest of the apartment. Cynthia tried to steady her breathing and her heart rate as she slowly stepped towards the door, hoping to grab it and close it so she could lock it shut while she called for help.

Carefully, with her paws trembling, Cynthia slowly reached out to the door, her eyes flicking back and forth between the door and the darkness as she got closer to her goal. She licked her lips just as she she was about to grab the handle. Her heart rate seemed to soar as she slowly tightened her grip around the handle, right before a glove-clad paw descended and grabbed hers.

Cynthia yelped as the figure dragged her into the darkness, grabbing her maw and holding it shut before someone else punched her in the gut. Cynthia felt dizzy as she collapsed onto her knees, before the lights in the living room came back on. Cynthia forced herself to look up at the figure in front of her. It was a gray wolf. Looking around, Cynthia saw two more wolves standing around her. All three wolves had on face masks.

"Officer Furrero," the largest of them said in a cold tone. Cynthia instantly recognized his voice. "Lieutenant Lisker," she gasped. Lisker sighed as he crouched down near her, holding a baton in one of his paws.

"It really does pain me to do this, but really there is no choice, unless you decide to join us, that is," Lisker said. "Join you?" Cynthia asked him. "Yes. You could join us, Furrero. I know you have talent, and it would really help us," Lisker said. "Why should I?" Cynthia asked him.

"You'd be helping us make the world a better place," Lisker replied. "Better? You think that murder and torture will make the world better?" Cynthia spat in disgust. "What happened to the fox was unfortunate, and I wish it could have been avoided. I really do," Lisker said.

"But, the thing is... we have a job to do, Furrero, and you've threatened our ability to do that job," Lisker said. "You gave information to Inspector Milius and Officers Hopps and Wilde, information that threatened to expose us," Lisker continued. "All I did was show them the obvious," Cynthia said. "Maybe, but the fact remains that you're too damn resourceful. You can join us, or be against us. I'd rather you join us, Furrero," Lisker said.

"No," Cynthia replied. Lisker sighed in response. "Then... I really am sorry for this, but you must be silenced," Lisker said. Cynthia quickly lunged forward and pushed Lisker to the ground, only for the other two wolves to grab her and pull her back. "Sorry, Cynthia, but you had your chance," one of them spoke. It was Gregory Pelton.

Cynthia kicked one of her legs up and hit Pelton in the muzzle, stunning him briefly before Blackwell, the other wolf, punched her in the gut. He then straddled her and began raining blows down upon her face and torso, scratching her face with his claws. Cynthia tried to fight back, but Lisker and Pelton had both already recovered and were holding her down.

"Don't struggle, it'll be over soon," Lisker said quietly as Blackwell continued beating Cynthia before he handed him the baton. She tried to bite his right paw, only for Pelton to grab her bloodied mouth with his other paw. "Bad girl, Cynthia. You should have taken the offer," Pelton said as Blackwell delivered a strong punch to her throat. "That'll keep her quiet," Blackwell said as he stood up and backed away before raising the baton and bringing it down on her stomach, chest, and legs.

He beat her again and again, until Lisker pulled him away. "That's enough, Quinn," Lisker said to him. "Now... she clearly didn't trip and fall down the stairs, so someone's going to be asking questions," Pelton said. "We have no choice, even in such a short time frame, but we have to frame someone," Lisker said with a sigh.

"If only Benezio hadn't tried to frame that fox and torture the weasel, this probably could have been avoided," Pelton said. "Who gives a shit about the fox? He would've been taken in for something anyway," Blackwell said. "Quinn, would you please keep your bigotry to yourself for once?" Lisker reprimanded him.

"So, who do we set up?" Pelton asked Lisker. "Why not Wilde? We know that he banged her once, so he knows where she lives. Hardly anyone else in the station does," Blackwell suggested. "His anger at his friend's treatment could be used as motivation for him attacking her," Pelton said. "Possibly, but we still need samples of his fur to plant at the scene," Lisker said.

"I have that already covered," Blackwell said as he reached into a pocket on his black jacket and pulled out a plastic baggy with tuffs of orange fur in it. "How long have you had those?" Pelton asked him. "Oh, since Friday morning. It was pretty hot that day, and the fox had started shedding before he got inside the station. I merely collected it when no one was looking," Blackwell said.

"You're creepy, you know that?" Pelton said to him. "Just... get started," Lisker said. "Wait... do we know where the fox is right now? What if he has an alibi that holds up? It would make things obvious that hes being framed if he has an alibi that checks out," Pelton said. "Grab Furrero's phone and text him. Find out where he is," Lisker said.

Pelton walked over to the floor where Cynthia had dropped her phone, carefully picking it up with his gloved paw. "It's locked," he said. "What does it take to unlock it?" Lisker asked him.

"Paw print swipe," Pelton said. "Well, she's right there on the floor," Blackwell said. Pelton sighed and crouched down, grabbing one of Cynthia's paws and swiping it against the screen of the phone. "Bingo!" Pelton exclaimed as the phone became unlocked.

"Okay, find out where Officer Wilde is right now," Lisker said. Pelton typed in a message and sent it. Two minutes later, there was a reply message. "He's at home right now. He's recovering a workout with Hopps and... who the hell is Benny?" Pelton asked. "Clawhauser," Blackwell said. "The cheetah? That guy works out?" Pelton asked in disbelief.

"Guys, there are more important things to worry about right now," Lisker said firmly. "Right. Should I text him back?" Pelton asked. "Uh... just say that you're bored and drinking. Tell him that the door's unlocked if he's interested," Lisker said. "What?" Pelton asked him. "You're using Furrero's phone, so pretend that you're Furrero," Lisker said. "Oh, right," Pelton said before typing in the message and sending it.

"Okay, it's done. Now what?" Pelton asked Lisker. "Find something with alcohol in it and follow my instructions," Lisker said to the duo. They both retrieved some beer bottles that Cynthia had in her fridge. "Now, do exactly as I say," Lisker said.

Blackwell and Pelton did as they were told. Soon, there were glass shards and beer spilled over Cynthia's face and carpet. "Now, plant some of Wilde's fur around the place and the one surviving empty bottle," Lisker said. Blackwell complied and began his work. "And that is how you manufacture a fake crime scene over a real one," Lisker said.

"What about the baton?" Pelton asked. Some of Cynthia's blood had gotten on it. "Keep it intact and don't clean it. We'll need it as it is for later. Trust me. Just make damn sure you don't put your own prints on it, understand?" Lisker said. Both subordinates nodded their heads in affirmation. "Good. Now, we have a fox to take care of when the time is right," Lisker said as he turned around and walked to the door.

The trio soon left, making sure to leave the door unlocked, with Blackwell putting a few of Nick's fur strands on the floor near the door before leaving. After ten minutes had passed, Cynthia began to move, tiredly and painfully, as she crawled toward her phone. Her breathing was labored and her vision was blurry. She finally reached the phone and unlocked it, desperately trying to reach a specific phone number.

She found the one she needed and waited for her landlord to pick up. " _Hello?_ " the aardwolf asked over the phone. "H-Help... please," Cynthia struggled to say. " _Miss Furrero? What's wrong?_ " Mr. Geffen asked her, concern evident in his voice. "H-Help... call... help," Cynthia said, her mind unable to focus properly. " _Where are you?_ " Geffen asked her. "In... apartment. Please... help," Cynthia said as darkness threatened to overtake her. She felt herself slowly slipping into a state of sleep, before her landlord finally made his way up to her room number.

"Miss Furrero!" Geffen exclaimed as he saw her bloodied and beaten form on the living room floor. He rushed over to her side. "What happened!? Who did this to you!?" he asked her. "N-Nick... next. Tell... police," she rasped out, tiredness finally claiming her. "Nick? Who's Nick?" Geffen asked her. He looked around the room, trying to make sense of her words, before he saw some orange strands of fur on the floor.

"Wait a minute... that fox who was here last week; his name was Nick. That _bastard_ ," he snarled with a frown. He quickly took out his phone and dialed 911, requesting an ambulance. When help finally arrived, Cynthia was unconscious. She was taken out to the ambulance on a stretcher by the EMT's. As Geffen watched her being loaded into the ambulance, two police officers, a wolf and a tiger, walked over to him. "We're officers McLeod and Fursfield. We'd like to ask you some questions, sir, since you were to first to arrive. Is that okay with you?" the wolf, McLeod, asked him. "Uh, sure," Geffen replied. "Thank you for cooperating," McLeod said.

* * *

Date: Monday, May 16th, 2017 

As Nicholas Piberius Wilde drove his car to the parking lot outside of Precinct One's station, he began fiddling with his radio, trying to turn down the volume. " _Beneath the pale moonlight! Someone's thinking of me, and loving me tonight!_ " sang a female voice on the radio. "Ooh! I know this one," Nick said to himself with a smile as he pulled into the parking lot and found a spot. He waited another three minutes for the song to end before turning off the engine and getting out of the car.

"Been a while since I've heard that one," he said to himself as he closed the doors but left his windows down, since the temperature was already in the seventies, Fahrenheit. He started humming the song to himself as he walked into the station, pausing to wave at Clawhauser, who looked at him with a strange look of uncertainty as he waved back. Nick's smile wavered as he wondered what made Clawhauser seem so uneasy.

"Hey, Big Guy, what's up?" Nick asked the cheetah. "Oh, uh... n-nothing's up," Clawhauser lied. "Oooookay," Nick said. "Um, Nick," Clawhauser asked in a whisper, "I don't mean to be rude or anything but... watch your back. Literally," Clawhauser said. "Watch my-why, what happened?" Nick asked him. "I-I'm not allowed say. Not... to you," Clawhauser replied sadly and reluctantly. "Not to me? What does _that_ mean?" Nick asked him.

"I... Judy's in the briefing room already, so I don't know how much she knows but... don't tell anyone I said this, but on Saturday... Cynthia Furrero was assault and put in the hospital," Clawhauser said. Nick's eyes widened. "W-What? What happened!?" he asked. "I don't know all of the details. All I know for sure is that... they found someone's fur at the scene, and while the officers talking were trying to be quiet, I heard one of them mention that it was... fox fur," Clawhauser explained. Nick's jaw dropped. "Now, I _know_ that you wouldn't do something like that, but everyone else is on edge, especially since they know that you... you know, slept with her the other week," Clawhauser said.

"But... I got a text message from her that night. She said she was drunk and bored, but I was too tired from that workout Judy put us both through to go over there and do anything," Nick said. "I know that. I'm sure that this is a misunderstanding. The fur might not be yours at all, and if it is, then it could have been there from your romp with her the other week for all anyone knows, but the fact is... you have a target on your back now," Clawhauser whispered to him.

"So... don't be surprised if some of our coworkers are... looking at you strangely," Clawhauser said. "Yeah well, thanks for the heads up, Benny," Nick said as he walked away and entered the hallway where the entrance to the Bull Pen was located. Stepping in front of the door, Nick took a deep breath and prepared himself for what might be inside. "It'll be okay. You're innocent, and they all know it. _You_ know it," Nick said to himself before opening the door and entering the briefing room.

The chatter and noise that had filled the room prior had now dissipated as everyone turned to look at him. Nick looked around. Judy was nowhere in sight. His other coworkers, however, were all looking at him. Some had blank faces, others were scrutinizing, as if trying to study him. Some officers had frowns, and others had glares that held silent threats behind them.

Nick suddenly felt very small, and almost found himself being transported back to that night when he took the initiation for the Ranger Scouts. Only this time, he knew from the start that something was wrong. "Um... hey guys. What's up?" he asked as he waved. "Uh... hey, Nick," Hooper said. Pelton and Blackwell both glared at the other wolf.

"So... room's pretty quiet. Has Bogo already trained everyone to to keep silent before he arrives now?" Nick asked in a sad attempt at a joke. Everyone was quiet as Nick took his seat next to McHorn. McHorn, to his credit, seemed rather indifferent to the atmosphere that everyone else in the room was generating. Of course, McHorn was also _asleep_.

Nick could hear the whispers around him. " _How do you know it wasn't leftover fur from their one night stand?_ " " _Busted her face up real bad._ " " _He doesn't look strong enough to do the kind of damage Furrero had._ " " _Fucking scum. I knew he couldn't be trusted,_ " another officer whispered. " _Foxes. They're all the same._ " " _Maybe it was a different fox?_ " " _To think we actually thought he could be trusted. We ought to just put a muzzle on him now,_ " another one said, this time striking deep inside Nick's psyche.

Nick struggled to keep his cool as he heard the remarks get worse and worse around him, trying his best to ignore the glares and rude gestures from his colleagues. Soon, the door opened and Judy stepped in, followed by Chief Bogo. Judy hopped up into the seat next to Nick. "Good morning, everyone. Our first item to review is the fact that our bathrooms will be undergoing renovation, one at a time, so that newer and smaller toilets can be added. Plumbing in sections of the building will be readjusted on a large scale, one section at a time," Bogo said.

"Now, next item on the docket. Last night, we received a very generous donation in the form of a new coffee machine along with several boxes of coffee, multiple flavors I might add. Unfortunately, _someone_ crushed all of the large cups, so you'll have to bring your own," Bogo said. "Now, next on the docket, and this one is very important. As many of you are aware, on Saturday night, officers McLeod and Fursfield responded to an emergency call at East Savannah Apartments, where one of our own, Officer Cynthia Furrero, was reported to have been assaulted. She was then transported to a hospital where her condition was listed as being critical due to the severe nature of her injuries," Bogo said.

Several animals glared even harder at Nick. "Last night, her condition changed from critical to stable. Unfortunately, she is still unresponsive. Updates to her condition will be made available periodically. Her exact location is a need to know basis. When she becomes responsive, I will be the first to know and will inform anyone who is curious. Until then, her exact location is going to remain unknown except to myself," Bogo said.

"Any questions?" Bogo asked. Jurro raised his paw. "Yes?" Bogo said. "Is it true that orange fur was found at the scene of the crime?" Jurro asked. "That detail is currently under review as part of the investigation," Bogo said. "Who's in charge of the investigation?" Pelton asked.

"Lieutenant Lisker has been put in charge of the investigation," Bogo replied. "Hey, is it true that the fur found at the scene tested positive for the DNA of a fox?" Blackwell asked in a cold tone as he glared at Nick. "Blackwell, that is _currently_ under _investigation_ ," Bogo said.

"Just askin' is all," Blackwell said. "Now, onto the next-" Bogo was interrupted when the door opened and Lisker motioned for him. "Can I speak with you, sir?" Lisker asked. "Is it important?" Bogo asked him. "Extremely," Lisker replied. "Everyone wait here while I speak with Lieutenant Lisker," Bogo said as he stepped out into the hallway with the wolf, closing the door behind him.

"Hey, Wilde," Blackwell said with a cold tone. Judy and Nick both turned their heads to look at the wolf. "Cynthia was like pack to the rest of us transfers. You'd better watch your back and hope no one finds anything, or I might forget to hit my brakes if I see you crossing the street," Blackwell said. "How dare you!" Judy yelled at him. "Calm down, both of you," Hooper barked in a commanding tone. "There's no conclusive evidence that he did it, Blackwell," Hooper added before he sent an apologetic look at Nick.

"Thanks, Sergeant," Nick said. "No problem. Innocent until proven guilty, remember? Of course, if you _are_ guilty, then I'll rip your dick off and shove it down your throat, but until then, you're safe," Hooper said. "Right," Nick said in nervous response.

* * *

"Just let me inspect his car and home while he's on duty today," Lisker said. "Ask him for permission, Lieutenant," Bogo said. "And if he refuses?" Lisker asked. "Then get a search warrant," Bogo said. "Fine. I'll wait until you hand out assignments, but I still want to talk to him," Lisker said. "Lisker, I know that Furrero was close to you, but if you allow personal feelings to get in the way of professionalism, I'm pulling you from this investigation and putting someone else on it, understand?" Bogo asked him.

"I understand, Chief," Lisker said with a nod. "Good. Now, if you find evidence that links him to the crime, then I will have him brought in for questioning," Bogo said. "Forensics already found his fur at the scene," Lisker said. "Which, according to certain rumors, were probably already there from last week," Bogo said. He didn't care much for the gossip that went around the station, but it still ended up reaching ears regardless.

"Fine. I'll ask him for permission to search his car and residence. If he doesn't comply, I'll get a warrant," Lisker said in false frustration. "I'm glad we understand each other, Lieutenant. Now, I have a morning briefing to resume," Bogo said before he returned to the Bull Pen, as the briefing room was so affectionately named. Lisker watched him silently, slowly counting down the minutes in his head until he could enact the next part of his plan.

* * *

"Sure. You can search my car. I have nothing in there, so go ahead. I wasn't there when it happened, and I didn't do anything to her, so search all you want," Nick replied. "Okay. What about your residence?" Lisker asked him. "Go ahead. You can search there too. I have _nothing_ to hide," Nick said confidently. "I certainly hope so, Wilde. You're a good officer. Hopefully, this whole thing is just some kind of setup, since I know that there are plenty of individuals out there who aren't happy with a fox being on the force," Lisker said.

"I'm not sure if me being set up would be a good thing or a bad thing then," Nick said. "It's bad because it means prejudice is still rampant. It's also good, because it means that you're innocent," Lisker said. "Well, there's one way to look at it," Nick said. "Don't worry, Nick. I'm sure that Lieutenant Lisker will prove that you're innocent. You've done nothing wrong, and once this is cleared up, we'll catch the real criminal," Judy said confidently.

"I certainly hope so, Hopps," Lisker said before he walked away. Nick and Judy stared after him, and while Judy seemed to be willing to trust Lisker, Nick began to once more feel that bad vibe that the wolf had given off when they first met. While Nick wanted to tell himself that it was nothing, the feeling wouldn't go away. Something was off about Lisker.

* * *

**A Few Hours Later...**

Lisker stood in front of Chief Bogo with a frown on his face. "I wish I were wrong, but... the evidence doesn't lie, Chief. The baton I found in his car is the same one that's been listed as missing from our inventory. And, according to forensics, the baton matches the weapon used to deliver most of the injuries to Furrero," Lisker said. "Were his paw prints on it?" Bogo asked him.

"Not that I could find," Lisker said. "But... I found a pair of gloves as well, along with latex gloves to slip over. That would provide two layers against his prints being left on anything," Lisker said. Bogo sighed forlornly. "It... dammit," Bogo said. "He has the weapon, he had the motives and opportunity. His fur was found at the scene, and he even admitted that Furrero had contacted him that night, asking him to come over," Lisker said.

"He showed me the text message that she sent him. The door was unlocked, and the land lord said that she mentioned Nick's name before passing out," Lisker said. "But... would Wilde deliberate go out and do something like this?" Bogo asked. He didn't really like Nick, although he didn't dislike him either, but he still found it difficult to believe that Nick would ever do something like that to someone, at least intentionally.

"Well, given the amount of alcohol found at the scene, it's entirely possible that the assault may have started out as an argument that went out of control. I don't know why he would take a _baton_ with him if he didn't intend to do anything, but that's what I've got," Lisker said apologetically. "I'm sorry, Chief, but we have to at least bring him in for questioning. I don't want to believe it either, but Wilde is the most logical suspect," Lisker said.

"Go ahead. Bring him in," Bogo said reluctantly. "Before or after his shift is over?" Lisker asked the cape buffalo. "The sooner the better," Bogo replied. "Right. What was his assignment today?" Lisker asked him. "He's on patrol with Hooper today in Sahara Square. Hopps is currently working with Trunkaby at a Career Day activity at an elementary school in the Meadowlands," Bogo said.

"Huh. I thought you would have both of them together," Lisker said, genuinely surprised by this information. "Not always," Bogo said. "I'm still trying to make sure that they're both capable of working with others before I decide to make their partnership permanent," Bogo explained. "That's... that's a good idea," Lisker admitted with genuine approval.

"Except for the part where you have Hooper driving a car," Lisker then added. "He needs to learn how to use one," Bogo said with a slight hint of humor. "Well, hopefully, Wilde knows how drive too. I don't want to imagine the carnage Hooper might leave behind if he has to be the one driving them back to the precinct," Lisker said. "How did Hooper ever become a sergeant without being able to drive a cruiser properly?" Bogo asked him. "We had different cruisers back when he started out, and he spends most of his time on a motorcycle anyway," Lisker replied.

"Well anyway, go out there and... bring back Wilde for questioning," Bogo said. "I will. Do you know if anyone else has patrol routes close to where Wilde and Hooper were assigned? Just in case I need assistance?" Lisker asked him. "Pelton is on patrol near the second Sahara Square transitional tunnel," Bogo said. "Okay. He should be enough if Wilde proves to be uncooperative," Lisker said as he left the room.

He quickly took out his cell phone and sent a text message to Pelton and Blackwell before he entered the elevator and made his way to the first floor, heading over to the garage. _I'm really sorry about this, Wilde, but it's for the greater good. You'll understand one day_ , Lisker thought to himself as he entered his unmarked black sedan and drove out of the garage.

* * *

Nick Wilde and Maes Hooper sat in the cruiser, sipping sodas while watching for speeders. "Thirty-five," Hooper said as he read the speed scanner. "That's a bit below the limit," Nick remarked. "Yup," Hooper said with a sigh.

"So... um, I have a question, if you don't mind me asking," Nick said. "Go ahead and ask," Hooper said. "Well-" "Forty. Sorry, continue," Hooper said. "Okay. Well, Blackwell said that Cynthia-I mean, Furrero, was like pack to you guys, right?" "I believe he said that, yes," Hooper responded. "So, you're also part of the... pack, right?" Nick asked him. "Sort of. I'm the only one who accepted a promotion to sergeant. The others wanted to keep their positions when we transferred, although I think Furrero did try to become a junior detective. I don't know if that went through or not, though," Hooper replied.

"So, how come you stuck up for me, though? I mean, you all seem pretty close," Nick said curiously. "Wilde, we might all be from the same precinct, but I was never really close the way that Lisker and the others were. I mean, I get along with them just fine, but I'm more of the odd one out," Hooper explained. "Why's that?" Nick asked him.

"Well, there's something about Lisker that just seems off. It's hard to explain, but I've never looked up to him the way the others have. They all cling to him like a father figure, even Furrero saw him that way at one point, but I guess I was just too independent to really feel like I needed one. Besides, my own father was plenty for me, so I never felt the need for a replacement figure," Hooper said with a chuckle.

"At least you knew your father," Nick commented. "What do you mean by-oh," Hooper said apologetically. "He died when I was young, or he disappeared. I'm not entirely sure which, to be honest. I just know that one day, when I was a kit, he left the house and never came back," Nick said. "That sucks," Hooper said. "No shit," Nick said in agreement.

"But, you still haven't explained why you stood up for me this morning," Nick said. "Oh. Well, innocent until proven guilty. Your fur may have been found at the scene, but you were there the previous weekend, right? And not many people know this, but Cynthia's never really been a big clean freak. She only cleans her place once every two or three weeks, not _every week_ , like some people," Hooper said.

"How do you know that?" Nick asked him. "Because I've been to her place before, Wilde. You ain't the first guy she's rolled around with," Hooper said. "Oh. Were you and her..." "No, it was a one time thing. It was fun, but it never went beyond that," Hooper said. "Huh. What about the others?" Nick asked. "I have no idea. I never heard any rumors about her with the others, and the only reason everyone at Precinct One knows about you and her is because Clawhauser's mouth runs faster than his brain," Hooper said.

"So, don't take this the wrong way, but why do you suck at driving?" Nick asked the wolf. Hooper snickered at the question. "Because I spend all of my time on a motorcycle, Wilde. I've always felt more at one with a bike than I have with a four wheeled behemoth," Hooper replied with a smile.

Nick reached down for a soda bottle when he saw that there was only one left. "Uh-oh. There's only one soda left," Nick said. Hooper held a fist out. "You're not seriously going to beat me up for it, are you?" Nick asked him. "No, Rock Paper Scissors," Hooper said. "Oh," Nick said as he held out one paw in a fist. "Ready? Rock, Paper, Scissors, shoot!" Hooper said.

Nick's paw was paper, while Hooper's paw was scissors. "Hey, what's this?" Hooper asked as he took the last soda bottle and opened it. "Oh, it's victory," he said with a smirk after taking a chug of the soda. Nick rolled his eyes, causing Hooper to snicker.

Nick soon looked up at the rear-view mirror and saw a motorcycle approaching. As it got closer, he realized that it was a ZPD motorcycle, with a wolf riding it. "What the hell?" Nick asked. "Huh?" Hooper asked him. "We've got a traffic guy coming up to us," Nick said in confusion. "What? Is our radio turned on? Maybe we missed a bulletin or something," Hooper said. "No, the radio's turned on, and the transceiver is on the right frequency," Hooper said as he fiddled with the equipment.

Hooper looked out the window as the motorcycle slowed down before coming to a stop just behind them. He saw the wolf disembark the bike before looking around. "What the hell is this about?" Hooper asked himself.

"Wait... that's Pelton. He's supposed to be stationed near the transitional tunnel. Hey, Pelton, what are you doing out here," Hooper asked as Pelton approached him. Pelton stood tall and still, as he looked inside the window at Hooper and Nick. Pelton retrieved his radio and spoke into it.

"This is officer Pelton. I have arrived at the cruiser containing Officer Wilde and Officer Hooper. I am now approaching the vehicle," Pelton said as he released the button. "What? You've already approached the vehicle," Hooper said. Nick's fur began to stand on edge. He knew, deep in his gut, that something was very wrong. "Hooper, raise the window," Nick said.

"What?" Hooper asked as he turned to look at him. Nick saw Pelton retrieve something from his belt and lunged forward to hit the window. "Wilde, what the hell are you-gack!" Hooper cried as Pelton stabbed him in the throat with a switchblade. "Hooper!" Nick cried as Pelton removed the blade and stabbed Hooper again. Nick grabbed Pelton's arm and tried to force the blade out of his paw, only to get his nose sliced. Nick whimpered and fell back.

Hooper looked at Pelton while pressing his paws to his throat. "It's all for the greater good, Maes. Trust me," Pelton said before slashing the blade across Pelton's throat. "Hooper!" Nick cried as he tried to put his paws against the wolf's throat to keep pressure on the cut.

"No, _no_ , _ **no!**_ " Nick cried as Pelton bled out. "This is officer Pelton. Officer Hooper is down. Officer Wilde is absent. Hooper requires immediate medical attention! Officer Wilde is nowhere-wait, I see him! Officer Wilde is fleeing the scene, requesting permission to pursue!" Pelton said into his radio.

"That's your cue to run, fox," Pelton said with a vicious grin. "Pelton, why!?" Nick asked him as he tried desperately to stop Hooper's bleeding. It was in vain, though. Hooper was losing too much blood. "W-Wilde," Hooper rasped, struggling, "R-Run. G-Go," Hooper said as he tried to get his taser gun. He lifted it with what little strength he had left and fired the taser at Pelton, who stumbled back in shock. "Run," he rasped one last time before he fell silent.

"Hooper!? Hooper!?" Nick cried as Hooper's eyes became lifeless. He quickly unbuckled his seat belt and jumped out of the cruiser, moving forward, before he stopped and looked back at the motorcycle. He knew it wouldn't look too good for him, but it was his only chance to survive, since Pelton's actions made it clear that the wolf had no qualms about killing.

Nick quickly ran over to the bike and hopped on, thanking his lucky stars that Pelton had left the keys in the ignition as he started it up. He saw Pelton starting to recover from the attack and quickly drove past him. Pelton looked onward as Nick fled the scene. "This-This is officer Pelton. Hooper is dead, and Officer Wilde has taken my motorcycle. I repeat, Officer Wilde has killed Hooper and has fled the scene. All units be on alert! Wilde is armed and dangerous! I repeat, Officer Wilde has killed Officer Hooper and is currently on route 134 using my motorcycle," Pelton said into the radio.

" _We hear you, Pelton. All units have been notified and are en route to the scene. Stay there until medical services can arrive, Dispatch out,_ " a voice other than Clawhauser's said. "Wait... I thought we only had Clawhauser for dispatch," Pelton muttered to himself as he watched Nick disappear into the distance. "And now the hunt begins," Pelton whispered with a smirk on his muzzle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really don't have anything to say. I just wanted to put an author's note here. Although, I will mention that I wrote the final sequence while listening to the tracks, "The Hunsacker Story" and "The Helicopter/Riggs Walks Away" from the special edition of the Lethal Weapon (1987) soundtrack, in that order. I also wanted to write a sequence where Finnick goes to Dom's Bar & Grille to take his mind off of things and provide some introspection, but I thought that it would slow down the pacing of the chapter too much. Anyway, and this doesn't count as a spoiler, in the next chapter Nick is now on the run from his own fellow officers.


	12. Fox Hunt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick, having been framed for Hooper's murder, is now on the run from his fellow ZPD officers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this chapter while listening to the soundtracks for First Blood (1982) by Jerry Goldsmith and Black Rain (1989) by Hans Zimmer.

Disclaimer: Zootopia is property of Disney.

* * *

**Fox Hunt**

* * *

Date: Monday, May 16th, 2017

"Weren't those just the most adorable children you've ever seen?" Francine asked Judy as they walked out of the front doors of Zanzibar Elementary School. "Oh, they're adorable all right, but just wait 'til you've seen a whole class of young bunnies," Judy said as they reached the doors of the cruiser. Opening the doors and hopping inside, Judy switched on the radio as Francine started the engine.

"This is Hopps and Trunkaby, reporting back to HQ. Career Day at the elementary school was fun," Judy said. " _Hopps, this is dispatch. We currently need all available units to patrol route 134 and all interconnecting roads. We have a homicide suspect on the loose,_ " the dispatcher said. Judy and Francine's eyes both widened at the news.

"Copy that, Dispatch. Is there any information on the suspects identity?" Judy asked. " _The suspect has been confirmed by Officer Pelton at the scene. The victim is Sergeant Hooper, declared deceased upon arrival of medical personnel. The suspect is Officer Wilde,_ " the dispatcher said. Judy felt her heart sink. "S-Say that again," Judy asked, hoping that she had heard them wrong.

" _I say again, suspect has been confirmed by Officer Pelton to be Officer Wilde. Pelton witnessed Wilde fleeing the scene with stolen transportation over._ " "No, that can't be right. Nick would never do that," Judy whispered. Francine eyed Judy carefully before putting the cruiser in gear and moving them out onto the road. "Francine, we need to go back to the station and get a full report," Judy said.

"Negative. You heard Dispatch. All available units are needed for this," Francine replied firmly. "But, there has to be some kind of mistake! I know Nick! He wouldn't kill someone!" Judy exclaimed. "Well... they did say that he was a _suspect_ ," Francine said reluctantly. "And Pelton only saw him _fleeing_ the scene. They didn't say if Pelton actually saw him killing Sergeant Hooper," she continued.

"That's right! We need to find out everything that Pelton saw!" Judy exclaimed before calling into dispatch. "Dispatch, this is Officer Hopps. What is the current location of the crime scene?" Judy asked. " _The scene is located at mile marker two-seven on route 134 in Sahara Square,_ " the dispatcher replied. "Did Officer Pelton witness Officer Hooper being killed, or did he only see Officer Wilde leaving the area?" Judy asked. " _Details are unclear at the moment. More information will be provided when it becomes available. Dispatch out._ " "Affirmative. Hopps out," Judy said. "Let's go, Francine!" Judy exclaimed. The elephant sighed before increasing the cruiser's speed.

* * *

Nick glanced up at the road sign up ahead. _Just a few miles until the turn off. I gotta get to the precinct_ , Nick thought to himself. _I gotta to talk to Bogo, or Milius! Someone who'll actually listen to me!_ He failed to notice the pot hole in the road until he was almost upon it, quickly swerving out of the way and toppling over. Nick cried out as he skidded against the asphalt with the bike.

With heavy pants, Nick pushed himself off of the ground and went over to the bike, righting it before once more mounting it and riding towards his destination. His elbows hurt and he swore that one of his knees had been scraped. He could smell the blood from his wound.

After a few more miles, Nick saw the turn off that would lead to the transitional tunnel into Savanna Central. "I'm almost there," he said to himself. Unfortunately, there was a squad car waiting near the turn off. He brought an arm up to wave at them, hoping with that desperate optimism that Judy had begun to renew in himself that perhaps his fellow officers would hear him out before making any judgements.

He was wrong.

As soon as he got close enough, one of the officers, a lion, took out a taser gun and fired at him. Nick swore as he swerved the bike to avoid the taser, the tips missing him by mere centimeters. He put the petal to the metal and sped forward, glancing back as the squad car pursued him. "Shit!" he swore as he saw them preparing a tranquilizer gun.

Nick weaved the motorcycle between lanes, doing his best to keep them from getting a clear shot at him. "Dammit, I'm innocent!" he shouted back at them. He didn't both to see their reactions as he looked ahead and saw the transitional tunnel for Savanna Central up ahead.

He grunted as he increased the speed on the motorcycle, gunning it as he glanced back in time to see the lion aiming the gun at him. Nick swerved the motorcyce to the left and slowed down just as the lion fired the gun, allowing the dart to sail in front of him before he sped up again. "Nice try, assholes," Nick muttered before he entered the transitional tunnel, using the darkness and different lights to his advantage.

* * *

Judy looked up ahead as she saw the transitional tunnel. "Okay, this should take us to Route One-Three-Four, so..." Judy stopped as she saw a fox on a motorcycle speeding out of the tunnel ahead of them. "It's Nick!" Judy shouted. "We already caught him," Francine said with a smirked. "Hopps, there's a tranquilizer gun in the back. Get that and hit him with it," Francine said. "What!? Are you crazy!?" Judy asked her. "Hey, do it, Hopps! I can't because I'm driving! We can dart him and then bring him back to the station peacefully," Francine said.

"How big is the dosage in the darts?" Judy asked her. "Well, this is my cruiser, so it's probably enough to take down a rhino or another elephant," Francine said. "But a dosage that large would _kill_ Nick!" Judy exclaimed. "So?" Francine replied. Judy's eyes widened in shock at Francine's cavalier attitude toward the possibility of Nick dying. She opened the window and shouted. "NICK! HEAD TO THE STATION!" Judy shouted.

Nick turned his head briefly as he passed their cruiser. "THE STATION!" Judy shouted at him again. Nick nodded his head as he sped forward. "Dammit, Hopps! What the hell did you do that for!?" Francine asked her. "If he goes directly to the station, we can bring him in without having to hurt him," Judy explained.

Francine grabbed the radio. "This is Officer Trunkaby. We have just spotted Officer Wilde exiting the transitional tunnel. He's west bound on the freeway, and we believe he is heading for the station! All units be on alert," Francine said. "Francine! They might try to hurt him!" Judy exclaimed. "After what he's done to Furrero and Hooper, he's earned it," Francine replied.

"You can't actually _believe_ that, can you!?" Judy asked her. "Of course! He's a fox," Francine replied. "You... You..." Judy couldn't finish her sentence. She grabbed her cell phone and turned it on. "Come on, pick up," she muttered as she dialed Clawhauser's number. " _Hello?_ " Clawhauser asked on the other end. "Clawhauser! Nick is making his way to the station! Make sure that gets there unharmed!" Judy said.

" _Uh... I'm kind of lost. Did something happen?_ " Clawhauser asked her. "Nick's been accused of murder and no one is trying to bring him in alive!" Judy exclaimed. " _I'm sorry, but for a second I thought you said that Nick was accused of murder,_ " Clawhauser replied. "I did say that! Sergeant Hooper was killed while on patrol with Nick, and Pelton saw him leaving the scene! For all we know, he could chasing the real killer!" Judy exclaimed.

"Oh, that's bullshit!" Francine exclaimed. "He killed Hooper, plain and simple! You just don't want to believe it because he's your friend!" Francine continued. "Shut up, Trunkaby!" Judy shouted back at the elephant. "Nick's not a killer! I _know him!_ " Judy exclaimed. " _Judy, I'm going to talk to Bogo and see what I can do. Just hang in there,_ " Clawhauser said before hanging up.

"Hopps, you are so gonna get grilled when we get back to the station," Francine said darkly. "For what?" Judy asked her. "For aiding someone who's basically a fugitive now," Francine said. "Nick isn't a killer. Can't you see that someone is trying to set him up!?" Judy exclaimed. Francine looked over at Judy and frowned. "No," she said simply.

* * *

"But Chief!" Clawhauser protested. "No buts!" Bogo said. "At least order everyone to bring him in alive," Clawhauser pleaded. Bogo looked at him. "Chief, Pelton only said that Wilde was leaving the scene. That stretch of the road doesn't have traffic cameras, so we have only Pelton's own word on what happened. We need Nick to be brought in alive for questioning to figure out what else happened," Clawhauser said.

"Pelton is an honest officer," Bogo said. "Yes, but he's only reporting what he _saw!_ We don't know if he saw the whole thing! We need a statement from Nick and an investigation by forensics to figure out the truth! If we just kill Nick right away and then find out that someone else killed Hooper... I don't think I'll be able to live with my self knowing that things could have been done differently," Clawhauser said.

"This isn't up for debate, Clawhauser. I trust our officers to use reasonable judgement in apprehending Wilde. Do you understand?" Bogo said. Clawhauser frowned. "Yes, Chief," Clawhauser said in defeat. "Good. Now, return to your post," Bogo said. Clawhauser nodded his head and exited the chief's office. He made his way back to the lobby where he took his seat at the front desk.

Looking at the dispatch radio, Clawhauser looked down at his phone before looking back at the dispatch receiver. "This isn't right," he whispered sadly. "Something's wrong here," Ben said to himself as he began listening to radio chatter from the different cruisers.

* * *

"Come on," Nick muttered as he stopped the motorcycle behind a car. There was a large traffic jam up ahead. Looking to his left, Nick saw that the window of a car next him was down. "Hey, what's causing the backup?" Nick asked the driver. "Huh?" the driver, a sambar deer, asked. "I asked, what's causing the traffic jam?" Nick repeated. "There's a crash up at the intersection," the deer replied. "Traffic's blocked every single way up there," he added.

"Dammit," Nick muttered. "Hey... is that a police motorcycle?" the driver asked. "Uh, yeah. See my uniform?" Nick replied. "But... you're a fox. Wait... you're the fox from that pamphlet!" the deer exclaimed. "Yes. Yes I am. Uh... do you know how long this traffic jam has been going on?" Nick asked him. "Um... for the past thirty minutes at least. You might want to turn off your engine. We're all gonna be here for a while," the deer said.

Nick sighed before he turned off the engine and took the keys out of the ignition. He leaned forward and rested his head on his arms, until he heard the sound of a siren behind him. He looked back and saw a police cruiser heading his way. He didn't see anyone taking out a gun or a taser, but he knew that they weren't slowing down either. "Uh-oh," he said as he realized what the driver was going to do.

Nick quickly leapt off of the bike and ran onto the closest sidewalk. He looked back just in time to see the cruiser ram the bike into the car in front of it. "What the hell!? They were going to kill me!?" Nick exclaimed. He knew that the other officers had clearly been trying to incapacitate him, but this was a whole new ball game.

The passenger side window rolled down and the lion sitting in there yelled at Nick. "Wilde! Get back here!" the officer shouted. "You just tried to kill me!" Nick exclaimed. "Damn right we did! You deserve it, fox!" the officer shouted as he unbuckled his seat belt and exited the cruiser. "Deserve it!? I'm innocent!" Nick yelled back. "Like hell you are!" the lion replied.

Nick narrowed his eyes before he turned around and ran. The lion gave chase with a growl, causing Nick to speed up and he leapt around various poles and trash cans. He grabbed one can and threw it back at the lion. The lion dodged the can and snarled before bringing up a tranquilizer gun and firing it at Nick.

Nick's eyes widened as he dodged the dart by leaning to his left, which caused him to almost run into a light pole. Trying to avoid the pole caused Nick to lose his footing and he fell over onto the ground. He rolled himself over and looked up just in time to see the lion lunge at him. Nick quickly rolled over, falling onto the road next to a car.

The lion missed the fox and quickly righted himself before turning to follow Nick through the stopped cars on the road. Nick jumped onto several of them in an attempt to out maneuver the lion, who simply followed him by climbing onto one and following him. The two continued this chase for several cars, until Nick almost lost his footing and stepped back, allowing the lion to catch up with him. The lion grabbed Nick and pulled him back, only for Nick turn his head and spit in the lion's face. The lion yelled in disgust before Nick dug his claws into the lion's arms, causing him to let go. Nick quick caught his breath before leaping onto another car and running forward, jumping off of the car's hood and onto the top of a large van with several hippos in it.

Nick heard a shout and looked back to see the lion dashing towards him. "Dammit," Nick muttered before he ran over to the front of the van and jumped down onto the hood, rolling over before falling onto the ground in front of the van. He used the space between the cars to hide as he ran over to the sidewalk. Stopping right next to a light pole, Nick panted as he tried to catch his breath, only to perk his head up when he heard the lion roar at him.

"Oh come on!" Nick cried. "Wilde! When I get my paws on you, I'm gonna take you back to the station in a body bag!" the lion roared. "I told you, I'm innocent!" Nick shouted back. "Fat chance! You're a fox! The word innocent will _never_ apply to bastards like you!" the lion shouted. "Oh yeah!? Well if you want to take me in, then you have to catch me, asshole!" Nick shouted before turning around and running away as the lion got closer.

* * *

" _This is Officer Donner! I am in pursuit of Wilde, on foot!_ " Judy gasped as she watched Francine pull the cruiser into park at the scene of Hooper's death. There were already ambulances and a black sedan parked around the road. "Well, he should catch the bastard quickly then," Francine said with a smile.

Judy unlocked the door and leapt out running over to the black car, where Pelton was talking with Lisker. "Lieutenant!" Judy cried as she ran over. "Hopps? What are you doing here?" Lisker asked her. "I-I need to know, exactly what Pelton saw," Judy exclaimed. "I saw Wilde fleeing the scene of the crime," Pelton said. "But did you actually see him killing Hooper!?" Judy asked him.

"No, but who else could have done it?" Pelton asked in return. "How was Hooper killed?" Judy asked him. "Stabbed in the throat, and then it was sliced. Some kind of blade," Pelton said. "How do you know that?" Judy asked him. "Go look at the wounds. Too neat for claws," Pelton replied.

"Did Nick try to say anything to you when it happened?" Judy asked him. "He wasn't even in the car," Pelton replied. "So he just took your bike and drove away?" Judy asked him. "Yeah. That's _exactly_ what happened, Hopps," Pelton said in a cold tone.

"Are you certain?" Judy asked him. "You ask a lot of questions, Hopps," Pelton said. "She's just concerned, Pelton. She's allowed to ask questions," Lisker said in a mildly scolding tone.

" _This is Officer Donner! I've lost Wilde near Herd Street. He's disappeared,_ " Donner said over the radio in Lisker's sedan. Lisker tilted his head. "Figures. Hopps, you wanna help me look for Wilde? I don't know about our fellow officers, but I would at least like to ask him some questions while he's still alive," Lisker said.

"You... you want to bring him in alive?" Judy asked him. "Yes. We do need to hear his side of the story. If we kill him outright, we won't know for certain just what happened before Pelton arrived," Lisker said. "I think that's what forensics are for," Pelton commented. "Yes, but having a witness, even if he is a suspect, can still help tremendously," Lisker said as he opened the passenger side door of his car. "Grab your gear and get in, Hopps. Pelton, grab a ride from someone back to the station. I don't trust you to drive a cruiser without crashing it," Lisker said.

"Yes sir," Pelton said as Lisker got into the driver's seat of his sedan. Closing the door, Lisker sighed before buckling his seat belt. He looked over at Judy, who was fiddling with her phone. "Anxious?" he asked her as he started up the engine and pulled out onto the road.

"Yeah," Judy replied. "So, you do seem awfully eager to defend Wilde without knowing all of the facts," Lisker said. "He's not a killer," Judy replied. "Well, I hope that you're right. He's a good officer, but the fact still remains that the evidence found in his car this morning does not help him at all," Lisker said.

"What evidence?" Judy asked. "Well, after you guys left the station, I searched Wilde's car and found a baton on the back floor with some blood on it. I had the blood analyzed, and it would appear that it was Furrero's blood," Lisker said. "That can't be true," Judy said. "I wish it weren't, but the evidence doesn't lie, Hopps. Even if it were planted, we still need to bring Wilde in for questioning," Lisker said.

"Lisker... do you think... this might somehow be connected to Benezio's arrest?" Judy asked the wolf. Lisker looked at her curiously before returning his attention to the road. "What do you mean?" Lisker asked her, slightly wary. "Well... Furrero was the one who helped us piece together the pieces of the various murders. She was also the one who convinced Inspector Milius to investigate Finnick's arrest, and now she's been put in a hospital," Judy explained.

"Hm. The timing of these events _does_ seem suspicious, doesn't it?" Lisker mused. "Yeah, it does," Judy said in agreement. "So... you think someone targeted Furrero as revenge for Benezio's arrest, and then framed Wilde to cover their tracks?" Lisker asked her. Judy's head perked up. "That's how it's starting to look," she said. "Well then, where do we start?" Lisker asked her.

"Huh?" Judy replied. "Looking. Where do we start looking for Wilde?" Lisker asked her. "I told Nick to head for the station, but... Officer Donner said that he intercepted him on the radio," Judy said. "He also said that he lost track of him as well. Near Herd Street," Lisker said. "I guess that's where we start looking," Judy said.

The drive back to Savanna Central was relatively quiet after that, at least until Lisker pulled out his radio. "Blackwell, this is Lisker. Officer Wilde was last seen near Herd Street. If you can, try to see if you can find him, but do _not_ initiate contact with him," Lisker said. " _Understood. Blackwell out,_ " Blackwell replied.

"Are you sure that's a good idea? Blackwell was pretty hostile toward Nick earlier today," Judy said. "He'll listen to me," Lisker said. "Besides, I told him to avoid making contact with Wilde," Lisker added. Judy nodded her head appreciatively. The car soon entered the transitional tunnel. After exiting the tunnel, Lisker was about to made a right turn onto another street and continued forward for a few minutes before making a left turn. He was about to make another right turn when he realized that the car in front of him had stopped moving.

He hit the brakes fast. "What the hell!?" Lisker exclaimed. Judy rolled down the window on her side and poked her head out. "It looks like traffic's been backed up," she said. "No shit," Lisker said. He then grabbed the radio. "Dispatch, this is Unit Five-Charlie-Five-Six. What's up with traffic near Herd Street?" Lisker asked.

" _All traffic has been backed up due to an accident at the intersection between Papaya Street and Fern Avenue. We have traffic officers heading out there to set up detours,_ " said a female dispatcher. "Any word on when this will get cleared up?" Lisker asked. " _Estimated time of cleanup is eight hours,_ " the dispatcher said. "Copy, dispatch. Lisker out," he said before putting the radio back.

"Dammit," he muttered. He looked at his rear-view mirror. "There's no one behind us," he said before putting the car into reverse. "What are you doing?" Judy asked him. "I think it's obvious," Lisker said. "But, I don't think you're allowed to do this," Judy said. "I'm doing what needs to be done," Lisker said as he backed up the car to a right turn. "Here we go," he muttered as he turned the car and sped down the street.

* * *

Nick clutched his right paw to his chest as he leaned back against a wall. "Okay, you lost 'em, Nick," he said to himself. "Now... where do I go?" he asked himself. _The station is out of the question_ , he thought to himself. _Where can I go where no one will think to find me?_ He sat down and closed his eyes as he thought about his dilemma.

He soon heard footsteps and opened his eyes to see a turtle walking past him. "Excuse me," the turtle said politely as he stepped around Nick and made his way to the front door of the next building over. Nick's eyes widened as he realized where he could hide. The only problem was actually getting there.

Nick noticed a sewer cover and grabbed something to put over his nose as he walked over and lifted it up. He lowered himself into the sewer slowly before putting the cover back and continuing his climb down the maintenance ladder. "Okay," he said as he looked around, his night vision coming into use, "Which way is North West?"

Nick followed the signs along the walls for the next several miles until he came across stumbling block. The entry-way to the next climate zone sewer was locked. There was a door to an office nearby, with what would presumably be a way out onto the surface. Nick carefully crept over to the door, keeping himself under the one really large window that allowed the occupants to view the rest of the sewer system.

Peeking into the office, Nick saw that it was empty, and there was another door inside the room. Quickly entering the office, Nick ran over to the door and tried to turn the handle, only to find that it was locked. "Damn," he muttered. He walked over to the desk area where a few security monitors were showing video of the sewer system. He searched the monitors for any sign of another exit.

Looking above the monitors, Nick saw a map of the sewer layout for the maintenance crews. "Huh, I thought the whole thing would be mouse tunnels and stuff," Nick said to himself as he studied the map. Glancing down at the desk, Nick saw a partially opened drawer. Opening it further, he saw a map. Grabbing it, he opened it up and began following a path to the next surface exit. Afterwards, he would find another entrance and descend once more until he could find an exit that would place him close to his destination.

* * *

**Several Hours Later, at Dom's Bar & Grille**

Dominic "Dom" DeSilva watched as an armadillo named Wesley chugged down his final cup of beer. "More, please," Wesley asked. "You've had enough," Dom said. "I've never had enough beer," Wesley retorted. "Yes, you have," Dom shot back. "Now go sit down and wear it off or do something else with your time," Dom said.

"I... will be back! And I... will have more beer when I do!" Wesley said with a hiccup. "Of course you will," Dom said dryly. Wesley made his way over to the front doors and was about open them when one was pulled open, causing him to fall forward on his face. Dom looked over and saw a drenched fox in a police uniform walking towards him, panting.

"Can I help you, Officer... Wilde?" Dom asked. "Do you have a spare closet I can hide in?" Nick asked him. "Why?" Dom asked him. "I've been framed for a murder, and most of my fellow officers want to bring me back to the station in a body bag," Nick replied.

Dom stared at Nick. "I'm... I'm sorry, what?" Dom asked him. "I... have been FRAMED for a MURDER that I DID NOT commit," Nick said, exasperatedly. "Oh," Dom said. "Can you hide me until I can prove my innocence?" Nick asked him. Dom stuck his tongue out and flicked it up and down. "You smell really bad," Dom said.

"I ran through a sewer," Nick said as he walked forward. "I'm swimming on the ground!" Wesley said excitedly. "Shut up, Wesley," Dom said tiredly. "Go upstairs and use the bathroom to get cleaned up," Dom said. "Thank you," Nick said. "I didn't say that I would hide you. I just don't want your stink driving away my customers," Dom said.

"Sure, whatever," Nick said as he made his way over to the stairs behind the the counter and began climbing them. Marigold, the giant otter, glanced over his way curiously before looking at Dom. "We'll find out later," Dom said to her. Marigold nodded her head and went back to the kitchen, where Vincent, the panther, was busy cooking some fish.

Back upstairs, Nick stumbled into the bathroom and turned on the faucet in the sink, splashing his face with water before looking up at the mirror. In his reflection, he almost saw the same broken fox that his mother had seen when he had been muzzled by the ranger scouts. A scowl broke out over Nick's face at the memory.

 _They all want to make me the bad guy? Not this time_ , Nick thought to himself. "I'll prove them wrong. I'm keeping this job, and I'm gonna prove my innocence," Nick said as he looked at his reflection. "Pelton... you're gonna pay for... wait a minute," Nick said. "Pelton... _he's_ the killer traffic cop," Nick said in realization. "He attacked Cynthia, and then tried to frame me for it. That bastard," Nick snarled. "I gotta tell someone," he said to himself as he began feeling around his uniform for his cell phone.

"Come on, please still be here," Nick said desperately. "Ah-ha!" he exclaimed as he found his phone. He turned it on and saw that it had only twenty percent of its charge left, however, dampening his mood. He quickly dialed Judy's number, but all he received was her inbox. "Carrots? It's me. Listen, I don't know what all you've heard, but I didn't kill Hooper. It was Pelton. I stole his bike because Hooper told me to run before he zapped him with his taser. Pelton is the killer we've been searching for, and that means he's the one who attacked Cynthia as well," Nick said.

"I can't tell you where I am right now, but just know that it's somewhere safe, for now at least. My phone doesn't have much charge left, so I'll have it turned on for about ten more minutes before I shut it off to save power until tomorrow. If you get my message, contact me at nine o'clock tomorrow morning. Bye," Nick finished. He held the phone in his paws and stared at it for the next ten minutes, waiting for a response. "Please, Judy," he whispered in desperation. "Please get my message. I need your help now more than ever." When no response came after ten minutes, he turned off the phone with a weary sigh. "Dammit."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly wanted there to be more action in this story, but I couldn't figure out how to do it without making it drag on and lose tension. I mean, having Nick constantly run into his fellow officers and have to evade them over and over again would just be repetitive. Also, in the next chapter, Nick is still being hunted by his fellow officers, and Judy learns about Lisker's somber past.


	13. A Heart Of Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Judy learns about Lisker's somber past.

Disclaimer: Zootopia is property of Disney

* * *

**A Heart Of Darkness**

* * *

Date: Tuesday, May 17th, 2017

Judy Hopps was currently in a mixed state of both elation and anxiety. Throughout the entire course of the previous day, she had kept her phone set to mute, without any vibration. As a result, she had missed the call from Nick. She and Lisker had searched high and low throughout Savanna Central, and not once did they find a single clue to Nick's whereabouts.

Judy had insisted on staying at her desk, and after Chief Bogo found her with bags under her eyes, he ordered her to go home. Clawhauser had generously offered to drive her back to her apartment after she clocked out, for which she was very grateful. However, despite being tired, she had found sleep to be extremely difficult.

It was only due to her biological clock that she had woken up on time and had managed to get cleaned up. Looking over at her phone, Judy realized that she had forgotten to take it off of mute, and after doing so, she saw the number of missed messages, most of which were from her parents. The one that caught her attention, however, came from Nick.

"He's alive," she said with hope. She listened to the voice mail, only for her eyes to widen and her heart to sink in shock at hearing Nick's revelation that Officer Gregory Pelton had been the one to kill Hooper. There was a knock on the door as Judy heard a muffled voice beyond it. " _Officer Hopps, this is Officer Wolford. I've been asked to make sure that you arrive at the station safely,_ " Wolford said from the other side.

Judy opened the door and looked up to see a gray wolf in uniform, looking down at her. "My car is parked outside. Seeing as how you already have your uniform on, I guess you don't have much else to get before we leave?" Wolford asked her. "Uh, n-no, not really," Judy said. "Good. I'll just... wait here," Wolford said as he leaned against the door frame. Judy walked over to the bed and grabbed her phone, making sure to save Nick's message before putting it on mute again and disconnecting it from the charger before stuffing it into her uniform.

"Okay, I'm ready," Judy said nervously as she walked past Wolford. "Um, don't you want to, I don't know, lock your door or something?" Wolford asked her. Judy stopped in her tracks and looked back at him. "Huh?" she asked him. "I can close the door for you, but I don't have the key to lock it," Wolford said simply. "Oh," Judy said as she ran over to the door and closed it before putting the key in the lock and turning it. She pulled the key out and placed it in one of her safety pouches.

"Okay, now we can go," Judy said. "So, um, why were you asked to make sure I get to the station?" Judy asked the wolf as they descended the stairs. "Don't know. Bogo just told me to make sure that you got to the station in one piece," Wolford replied. "He... he doesn't trust me to not go looking for Nick on my own, does he?" Judy asked in resignation.

"Maybe. I really don't know for sure," Wolford said with a shrug. Judy sighed as they continued walking down the stairs and out of the front doors of the apartment complex, heading over to Wolford's car. "Um, thanks," Judy said as she got in the passenger seat. "No problem," Wolford replied before getting in the driver's seat. and closing the door. He put the key into the ignition and started the car. "Aw, dammit. We have to turn ourselves around," Wolford muttered as he realized which way he had parked.

* * *

**Zootopia Police Department, First Precinct**

Chief Bogo stood in front of a large group of mammals in the briefing room. On the large screen behind him was a map of Zootopia, with a picture Nicholas Wilde and several red lines running through multiple areas of the map. He scanned the room, noticing the absence of Hooper, Benezio, Furrero, and Wilde. Hopps and Wolford were also missing, causing him to furrow his brows in consternation until he heard the door open and watched as the two mammals entered the room.

"Sorry, Chief. I took a wrong turn on the way here," Wolford said apologetically. Bogo nodded his head curtly in understanding before switching his attention to Judy, who had taken her seat next to McHorn, who was awake and fiddling with a pencil. "Alright, since... everyone is accountable, I suppose we can begin the morning briefing. As of O-Six-Hundred hours this morning, Officer Wilde is still at large and unaccounted for," Bogo began.

"His last known location was at Herd Street, where Officer Donner last saw him while in pursuit. We have already put out an APB for him, with cooperation from the other precincts, including Precinct Five," Bogo said. Some of the officers rolled their eyes. The Fifth Precinct, which was located in the Outback Region, was the only precinct to have reptiles among its roster, a fact that did not sit well with some of the mammal officers in the other precincts.

"Like those lizards are gonna care," Bogo heard Anderson mutter. "As I was saying, we have an APB out for his arrest, so it's only a matter of time before we catch him. Hopefully, we can bring him in alive for questioning, as there are no traffic cameras at the location where Sergeant Hooper was killed, and as Officer Pelton has said, he only arrived after Hooper had been attacked, meaning that we still do not know the full story," Bogo said.

"I think it's obvious what happened," Officer Trunkaby said. "We only have the word of an officer who arrived after the fact. Forensics is still analyzing the scene and Hooper's body. Until then, we still need to hear from Wilde in order to get a more detailed picture," Bogo said. Judy had to restrain herself from telling them about Nick's message. Every so often, she would glance over in Pelton's direction, averting her eyes just as it seemed that he was noticing her gaze.

"Now, as it stands, Wilde is currently a _suspect_. We have not yet _confirmed_ that he killed Sergeant Hooper," Bogo said firmly. "That means not lethal weaponry is to be used, and all tranquilizer dosages are to be appropriate for an animal of his size. No large animal tranquilizers. No overcharged tasers. Use force only if necessary, and try to bring him back conscious," Bogo said before pausing to take a breath.

"With that out of the way, it's time for daily assignments," he said. "What!?" Blackwell asked in shock. "Do you have a problem?" Bogo asked the wolf. "Yeah! This bastard is still out there, and you want us to go about our business as usual," Blackwell said. "That's right. You still have your jobs to do. I already have members of the investigation department out there searching for Wilde," Bogo said.

"What happens if we see him during our patrols or whatever duty we're given?" Johnson asked as he raised a paw. "If you see Wilde, you are to report his location and direction of travel. Follow him if you can, but do not deviate too far from your assigned areas," Bogo replied. "What if he approaches us?" Burns asked curiously. "Report his location, ascertain any potential threat posed by him, and call for backup. Keep him occupied but do not leave the safety of your cruiser if you are inside it," Bogo replied.

"What if he gets run over by someone? Do we call it roadkill or should we report it as an accident?" Blackwell asked with a sneer. "One more comment and you'll be on desk duty for the next month," Bogo said with frown. Blackwell actually seemed to wilt under the buffalo's gaze before nodding his head in understanding.

"Now. Pelton, you have patrol with McLeod and Fursfield until we can get a replacement motorcycle for you. Blackwell, you have parking duty. I expect you to do us proud," Bogo said with narrowed eyes. "McHorn, you and Higgins are on patrol in downtown. Johnson and Anderson, you're both on patrol near Central Station. Fangmeyer and Grizzoli, I want you on patrol around the entrance tunnels to Tundra Town," Bogo said.

"Trunkaby, you still have paperwork that needs to be finished. Burns, you're on patrol in the Rainforest District, along with Wolford," Bogo said. "Aw. I hate that humid place," Wolford muttered. "Would you like to share parking duty with Blackwell?" Bogo asked him. "N-No, sir. Patrol in the humidity and constant rain is perfectly acceptable to me," Wolford said.

"Good," Bogo said before moving onto the others. When he was done, everyone began filing out of the room, even Horrowitz, who had just returned from his paid leave. Judy, however, was the exception, as she had not been given an assignment. "Um, Chief? I couldn't help but notice that I didn't receive an assignment," Judy said. "That's because your presence has been requested by Lieutenant Lisker. He wants your help in tracking down Wilde, and since he intends to bring Wilde in alive, I thought you would be willing to cooperate with him," Bogo said.

"Oh. Th-Thank you, sir. Should I head over to his office, or should I wait here for him to come get me?" Judy asked him. "Well-" Bogo was interrupted as the door opened, revealing Inspector Milius. "We're out of Hazelnut coffee. I bought three whole cases of those cups yesterday morning. What the hell is going on?" Milius asked indignantly. "They've been given to Hooper's family," Bogo said.

"What the hell for?" Milius asked angrily. "Hooper liked Hazelnut Creme," Bogo replied simply. "So why give it to his family? The boy's dead; he ain't gonna need it anymore," Milius said. "Inspector!" Judy gasped. "Yes, Milius. Don't speak ill of the dead," Bogo said. "What about the Fasa brothers? Can I speak ill of them, since they were rapists?" Milius asked.

"Milius, don't start with me," Bogo said. "Has the coffee already been given to the family, or is it being held somewhere?" Milius asked. "Milius, this is not the time for-" "Where is my coffee? I fucking paid for it out of my own _goddamn wallet!_ Where is it!?" Milius asked in growing frustration and anger. He was _not_ a morning person.

"Milius, you are out of line," Bogo said dangerously. "I'm out of line? Sure, something that I paid for gets taken away to give to someone else because a completely different person died. Yeah, I'm the one who's out of line," Milius said sarcastically. "Conan, why do you have to be such an asshole?" Bogo asked him. "Because I'm too honest to lie for the sake of someone else's feelings. The truth is the truth, plain and simple," Milius said.

"I-Inspector, the act of giving the coffee to Hooper's family is a sign of compassion and understanding," Judy said. Milius looked at her and narrowed his eyes in contempt. "That's a load of shit. If anyone deserves the coffee, it would be Hooper himself, but he's fucking dead, and it's tragic, but that's no goddamn reason to take something that I paid for and give it away," Milius spat. "I want the coffee that I shelled out thirty bucks for, and I want it now," Milius demanded. "Fine! It's being held in storage room Three-C," Bogo said, tired of Milius's shit.

"Thank you. Come on, Hopps," Milius said as Judy unwittingly followed him out of the room and into the hallway. When the duo reached the nearest elevator, Milius smirked and looked over at Judy. "I love pissing him off," Milius said with a smile. "Wait, you weren't serious about the coffee?" Judy asked him. "Huh? Oh, I was serious about it, but pissing off Chief Bogo is a secret pleasure of mine," Milius replied.

"Anyway, now that we're alone, have you heard from Wilde at all?" Milius asked her. Judy blinked rapidly before looking up at the leopard. "Well... I may have gotten a voice message from him last night," Judy replied. "What did he say?" Milius asked her. "He said to call him around nine o'clock this morning, since he had to shut off his phone to save power after the message. I guess he'll have it turned on by then," Judy said.

"Right. Will you be able to call him at nine?" Milius asked her. "I hope so. I'm supposed to-oh carrots! I'm supposed to go see Lieutenant Lisker!" Judy exclaimed in a panic. "Hopps, give me Wilde's phone number. I'll make sure to contact him at nine, and then I can find him and keep him safe until we find out who set him up," Milius said. "Wait, you know that he was set up?" Judy asked him.

"Of course. He's only near the end of his first year, and most of the other mammals here are still wary of him because of his species. It would be easy to turn most of his fellow officers against him," Milius explained. "How do you know this?" Judy asked him. "Well, if I were the killer traffic cop, and I wanted to draw attention away from myself, I would like make everyone focus on someone who everyone would want to be guilty, who could easily be framed because of simple prejudice. I've seen it before, Hopps," Milius said.

"Do you know that we once had a hyena officer? His name was Ed, and while he was a bit odd, he was a damn good detective. But on one particular case, when Ed was off duty, he was near a neighborhood populated by mostly prey animals, especially sheep. There had been a series of break-ins at the neighborhood, and one had occurred on the same night that Ed was walking by," Milius said.

"I knew that he was innocent. I went over the crime scene and Ed's path inch by inch, and I looked over every single street camera and traffic camera I could find. Not once had Ed strayed from his path, but that didn't matter to our superiors. They had never liked Ed, and his good record along with being my partner was the only thing that had prevented them kicking him out," Milius continued.

"But... even though he was clearly innocent, the fact that he was accused by several 'witnesses' was enough for them to fire him. He later got arrested on a trumped up charge of robbing a convenience store that he had been fifty feet away from when the real robber had been running out in plane view," Milius explained. "All I could do was watch as my friend was brutalized by my fellow officers, animals who I had thought of as friends, who cackled at him and called him some of the worst things imaginable. I did try to intervene, but I was placed far away from him by a superior after that, and the last time I saw him was when I was called to the morgue to identify his body after he had been murdered in prison. He'd been sentenced to ten years in prison for a crime that he didn't even commit, and he was killed for it too," Milius said with bitter resentment in his voice.

"So that's why you're helping me find Nick," Judy said. "That, and so I can rub it in Bogo's face that I'm right about the traffic cops," Milius said. "Wait, cops? As in more than one?" Judy asked him. "Of course. I just have to figure out who they are, though," Milius said. "Well, Nick's message... said that Pelton is one of them," Judy said to him.

"Pelton? Hey... he was the one who found Vanderbelt," Milius said. "And Blackwell was the one who found the pool scene," he added. "Wait, I thought the pool attack was a mob hit," Judy said. "And I thought I already explained that it only _looked_ like a mob hit," Milius said to her. "Well, either way... we have a lead. Wait, how does Wilde know that Pelton is one of the killers?" Milius asked her.

"Nick said that Pelton was the one who killed Hooper," Judy replied. "Hm. He must also be the one who attacked Furrero," Milius said. "Yeah. Nick said as much. I need to tell Lisker about this," Judy said. Milius raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure that you want to let _him_ know everything that you've learned? He may not take kindly to knowing... that his transfer mates are responsible for this," Milius said.

"He deserves to know what's happening under his own nose," Judy said firmly. "I guess I can't stop you, so... here, take this," Milius said as he handed her a small taser. Judy looked up at him questioningly. "It's a pocket taser, just right for someone your size," he explained. "Someone my size," Judy said. "Milius... can you check to see what size the baton found in Nick's car is?" Judy asked him.

"Uh, sure," Milius said. "Nick knows how to use a baton, but if it's too big, he can't wield it very well. I've seen him falter with batons meant for wolves and larger animals. Please, check to see the size of the baton found in his car," Judy pleaded. "I'll do what I can," Milius said with a nod as the elevator doors opened. "Here," Milius said as he forced the taser into Judy's paws.

"Keep it concealed," Milius whispered before walking away. Judy sighed as she placed a cap on the taser and slid it into her left pant pocket. She was about to press the button when Milius came rushing back. "Inspector?" Judy asked him. "Wilde's phone number; you didn't give it to me," Milius said. "Oh! Here," Judy said as she showed him her phone and the list of contacts on it. Milius pulled out his own phone and set up Nick as a contact. "Okay. Good luck," Milius said as he walked away again.

* * *

Lieutenant Milton Lisker looked up from his desk as he heard a tapping sound on the door to his office. He walked over to the door and opened it, looking around before hearing someone clear their throat. He looked down to see Judy Hopps looking up at him with a worried expression on her face. "Officer Hopps, come on in," Lisker said as he ushered her inside.

Judy slowly walked inside the office, looking around at the sparse furniture and the desk that had a computer monitor on it, with the tower located underneath. "So, you took your sweet time getting here. I guess Bogo wanted to chew you out over something?" Lisker asked her.

"Actually, I ran into Inspector Milius. He wanted me to help him search for some coffee that had gone missing," Judy replied. "Coffee?" Lisker asked her. "Yeah. He'd bought some coffee a while back and Bogo told him that it was being held for Hooper's family, since it was Hooper's favorite flavor," Judy replied. "Uh-huh. And Milius didn't like that?" Lisker asked. "Well, he _did_ pay for it, but he seemed more concerned about that part than the fact that it's polite to give a sentimental gift to the family of someone who's died," Judy said. "That guy has a very strange set of priorities," Lisker said in response.

"Definitely," Judy said. "That being said, he's very professional when he's actually on the job," Lisker added. "But, anyway, the reason I called you here is because I need your help finding Wilde again today. We both want to bring him in alive, and you know him better than anyone else here in the station," Lisker said. "You have the best chance of finding him, and I have the authority to make sure that no one does anything to him when we bring him back here," Lisker explained calmly. "Together, you and I are Wilde's best chance of coming back here alive," Lisker said as he looked Judy in the eyes.

Judy nodded her head with a smile. "We are, aren't we?" she said confidently. "That's right, so let's get started mapping out locations that we can search," Lisker said as he pointed to a map he had on the wall. It had been hastily thrown up the previous night before he'd left the station and gone home. "Now, we know where he was last seen, and it's been at least eighteen or so hours since then, meaning that we have to expand our search perimeter," Lisker said as he pointed to the map.

Judy looked at the map. All of the locations and routes that she and Lisker had visited yesterday were marked in red. _Nick said he was someplace safe. Does that mean somewhere that the ZPD wouldn't think to look, or doesn't have the_ _ **authority**_ _to search without a warrant, giving him time to escape after hearing about it?_ "So... any ideas?" Lisker asked Judy after a few minutes of silence.

"Huh?" Judy asked him as he shook her out of her thoughts. "Any ideas? Any places he used to hang out at before he became an officer? Some place that we haven't searched yet?" Lisker asked her. "Well, Herd Street does have a subway station, which is used for the Inner Loop Line, and that could take him anywhere in Zootopia, from Sahara Square to Tundra Town," Lisker said.

"Tundra Town," Judy said. "Huh?" Lisker asked her. "Nick... did used to be an associate of Mr. Big," Judy said. "True, but would Mr. Big be willing take him in and hide him after that rug incident?" Lisker mulled. "Rug? Oh, right. Skunk butt rug," Judy said. "It's worth a shot. Mr. Big does run a series of laundromats and restaurants as a cover for his organization," Lisker said.

"Wait, what are you saying?" Judy asked him. "We can easily head into any of the places owned by Mr. Big and ask if anyone's seen Officer Wilde recently. No harm done to anyone, just a simple 'have you seen this mammal?' and we're done," Lisker said. "I suppose, but you said it yourself: it's unlikely that Mr. Big would willing take Nick in after the rug incident," Judy commented.

"That's right, so if Wilde _did_ go to him for help, there's very little chance that Mr. Big or his associates would lie about his location," Lisker said. "I guess that makes sense," Judy said thoughtfully. She knew that Nick was only on good terms with Mr. Big because of _her_ , and without her presence, it was unlikely that the arctic shrew would willingly help the fox.

"Okay," Judy said. "Let's get started in Tundra Town." "That's the spirit," Lisker said as he gathered his jacket and gear, along with his gun. The sight of the lethal weapon still made Judy a bit uneasy, but she trusted Lisker, so she ignored the feeling as she followed him out of the office and through the hallways of the station.

* * *

**Dom's Bar & Grille, 09:00 am**

Nick stared at the phone in his paws with desperation. _Come on, Carrots! Please, please call me! I need to know that there's someone I can still trust. Please, don't abandon me_ , Nick pleaded silently as he kept his eyes on the screen. He sighed in resignation as he saw the time shift from 09:00 to 09:01. He was about to shut off his phone again when it began ringing. A smile lit up across his face as he answered.

"Judy?" Nick asked with hope in his voice. " _Uh... no. Listen, Wilde, it's me, Milius. Don't hang up, just hear me out, please,_ " Milius replied. "Okay, I'm listening," Nick said. " _Alright, listen, Wilde. Judy is currently riding around with Lieutenant Lisker, searching for you. She's trying to find you so that she can bring you back to the station alive and in one piece,_ " Milius said.

"Okay, but if they both want to bring me in alive, why isn't she the one calling me?" Nick asked the leopard on the other end. " _I told her that I would do it. Trust me, Slick, you're better off in my paws than in Lisker's. I don't know about Hopps, but I don't trust the guy,_ " Milius explained.

"Okay, why's that? I mean, I know he can be a bit creepy at times, but otherwise he seems okay," Nick said. " _Slick, can I call you Slick?_ " Milius asked him. "Uh... sure," Nick said. " _Okay. Slick, here's the deal. Lisker ain't what he seems. I don't have any solid proof, but I think that he's connected to the recent murders, and you being framed,_ " Milius said.

"No, _Pelton_ is the one who framed me for Hooper's murder, not Lisker. Pelton's also the one who attacked Cynthia-I mean Furrero!" Nick retorted. " _I'm aware of that. The baton found in your car is a bit too big for you to handle it properly. It's also too small for most of the other officers, but it fits a wolf's paws just right. You_ _ **were**_ _setup, Slick, but the thing is that Pelton and Blackwell had both already left the building before Lisker searched your car yesterday. I checked the time stamps on the security footage,_ " Milius said.

Nick's eyes widened as he realized the implications of what Milius was saying. " _Lisker was also walkin' kind of funny when he went outside to search your car, Slick. I've got a feeling that he's the one who planted the baton there, just so that he could claim to find it,_ " Milius continued.

"That... that son of a bitch!" Nick hissed. " _Yes, I would agree, but in Lisker's case that would be an observation rather than an insult,_ " Milius said wryly. "So why is he bringing Judy with him?" Nick asked. " _I haven't figured that part out yet. The two most likely solutions are that either she knows where to look for you or he wants to use her to make you come with them without a fight. Or both,_ " Milius responded.

"Great. So, what do I do?" Nick asked. " _Lay low, and either turn your phone off or borrow someone else's charger for a little bit,_ " Milius replied. "I can't hide forever," Nick said. " _I don't expect you to, but you can't just step out into the open. I'm still assigned to the Pool Massacre case, but I may be able to come pick you up from wherever you are later today. Just tell me which region you're in, and I can tell my boss that I found a lead in that area,_ " Milius said.

"How do I know I can trust you?" Nick asked him. " _I pissed off Bogo pretty bad this morning. Chances are pretty high that he won't give a shit about where I go if I tell him that I have a lead somewhere,_ " Milius replied. " _Besides, I've found my coffee, so I'm not cranky enough to sell you out if you piss me off,_ " Milius replied. "Gee, that's really reassuring," Nick said sardonically.

" _Slick, just tell me the region so I can get my ass out of my office,_ " Milius said. "Rainforest District. But that's all I'm saying for now," Nick said. " _Fair enough. Now, I need to make sure that Bogo has enough of a stick up his ass that he wants to get me out of the building and away from him for the rest of the day,_ " Milius said in response before hanging up. Nick sat back against the booth he was sitting in and sighed. "Why can't anything go right this week?"

* * *

Judy and Lisker both walked back to Lisker's sedan with frowns on their faces. "You wanna drive this time?" Lisker asked her as they got closer to the car. "Uh, sure," Judy said as she walked around to the driver side. Lisker unlocked the doors with his key before getting inside the car. After they both closed the doors and put on their seat belts, Lisker showed her how to adjust the driver seat.

"I think I got it now," Judy said after she had the seat adjusted to her liking. "Yeah, there's also a heating option. I made sure to get that when I bought it," Lisker said as he pointed to two buttons in the middle console. "So, where else do we go?" Judy asked him. "I don't know. I honestly thought that these animals would be more hospitable, especially towards the godmother of Mr. Big's granddaughter," Lisker said with a sigh.

"I know. I mean, you'd think that I would be able to..." Judy trailed off and her eyes widened in shock as she realized what Lisker had just said. She slowly turned her head to look at him, seeing the smirk on his face. "What's wrong, Hopps? You didn't think I knew about that, did you?" Lisker asked her in mock surprise.

Judy began to tremble. "Aw, don't be that way, Hopps. You should know that your FurBook page isn't exactly private," Lisker said. "Oh yes, I know all about Fru Fru and Little Judy, named after the heroic rabbit police officer who saved the shrew's life," he added. "What all do you know?" Judy asked him. "I know that you must have used your connections to make Duke Weaselton talk during the Night Howler investigation. It's the only explanation, because I know that you wouldn't actually bribe him with money. Just imagine what would happen if everyone were to find out that the ZPD's most promising officer had connections to the Big Empire," Lisker said.

Judy felt like she was being constricted, and found it hard to breathe. Lisker knew everything about her, including the one big secret that she'd kept from Chief Bogo. "So, what are you going to do with me?" Judy asked him. "Well, I could tell everyone about this, or... I could use you to get to Mr. Big. You can give him to me, Hopps," Lisker said.

"Why would I?" Judy asked him. "Well, why not? You're a cop, and he's a crime lord. Do the math," Lisker said. "Listen, Hopps. You have an in with Mr. Big, and I would be a fool to let that go to waste. We can-" Judy began to slowly move her left paw away from the steering wheel. "Ah-ah! Keep both paws on the wheel, Hopps. You are _driving,_ " Lisker said, although technically, the car was still parked in the lot. "You... Lieutenant, listen, I know this may sound like a cheap ploy, but if you're after a murderer, you need to know that Officer Pelton is the one who killed Hooper and framed Nick," Judy said.

"Oh, I know," Lisker said simply. "W-What?" Judy asked him, stupefied by his nonchalant response. "I told him to do it," Lisker said. "You... You had Hooper murdered and Nick framed!? Why!?" Judy screeched at him. "Look, Hopps, I have nothing against Wilde personally, but it was a necessary sacrifice in the grand scheme of things. Now, you have my word that I won't kill him, and if you cooperate, I'll make sure that Pelton and Blackwell don't either," Lisker said.

"Cooperate?" Judy asked him. "Yes. Hopps, those criminals my that subordinates killed; they were all scum. Vanderbelt was a murderous pimp. The Fasa brothers were serial rapists. Grimes and his lackeys were vicious thugs. They all got what they deserved. There isn't anyone we've killed who didn't deserve it," Lisker said. "You're wrong! Maes Hooper didn't deserve to die!" Judy shot back. "No, but again, he was a necessary sacrifice for the greater good," Lisker said.

"The greater good!? How does murdering a fellow officer help the greater good!? How does murdering _anyone_ help the greater good!?" Judy asked him. "Hopps, those criminals were scumbags. If we had taken them to court, they would have walked away free. The system doesn't work, Hopps. I've seen it fail far too many times, and I'm sick of it," Lisker said.

"What do you mean?" Judy asked him. "Look, when you visited the Third Precinct last week, I'm guessing that Captain Hingle told you about the Constellation Killer?" Lisker asked. "He said that you and your old partner were given the case," Judy said. "He didn't say much else, did he?" Lisker asked her. "Well, he did say that one of the victims was a child," Judy replied.

"Two of them were children, Hopps. Two of them. One of them was this little fox kit. Just around the age of eleven," Lisker said. "She'd been kidnapped from her backyard by the killer, this escaped mental patient, and he'd put her in a hole in the ground with limited air. He made a demand for over four thousand dollars to be delivered to him the following night, saying that the girl would die if we didn't comply," Lisker continued.

"I volunteered to take the money to him myself the very first night, but the city council decided to wait until the second day to get the money, because the girl was a fox. They only complied with the demand at all because letting a child die would look bad, but otherwise they didn't give a shit about the kit. Publicly elected officials were willing to let a small child die simply because of their species," Lisker said angrily. "Oh god," Judy whispered in shock.

"So, anyway, I took the money to the guy, and he attacked me. My partner, Shockley, managed to follow me and fight him off, but we lost track of him after that," Lisker said before taking a breath. "We managed to track him down a few hours later to this sports stadium, and I practically had to torture him to get the girl's location, but we found out too late. Shockley and I arrived at the girl's location first, but the rest of the rescue team was too slow. The drivers were going at just the speed limit, intentionally taking their time because they'd been told that the girl was a fox," Lisker said.

"The girl had been dead at least an hour by the time the ambulance and rescue workers had arrived. If they'd actually given a damn, they could have arrived at least thirty minutes sooner and that would have made all the difference. The only thing keeping me together by that point was the knowledge that justice would be served when that bastard got sent to prison," Lisker said. Judy nodded her head in understanding. "And then the guy was let go afterwards because I had used excessive force on him and hadn't read him his rights before questioning him on the girls' location," Lisker said with a tranquil fury that caused Judy's fur to stand on edge.

"It didn't help me that he was a gazelle, a prey animal, and I was a wolf, a predator," Lisker said bitterly. "But a child's life was at stake! I don't condone torture, but if there was absolutely no other way to make the guy talk, then any method of finding out the girl's location should have been considered acceptable by higher authorities," Judy said. "I was thinking that too at the time, but it didn't matter. He was let go after being treated for his injuries, and then he killed two more animals over the course of the week, including Shockley. On Friday morning, he hijacked a bus full of school children, but I'd already been tracking him on my own by that point, so I didn't need to be told about it," Lisker said. "Here's the kicker. Those same officials and high-ranking officers who were willing to let the fox die were actually _scrambling_ to save _these_ children, since they were all prey animals," Lisker hissed.

"So, after hearing about the route he was planning to take to an airport, I managed to get ahead of him and then I hitched a ride on the top of the bus, and forced him out. We had a brief gun fight, and after I fooled him into thinking I was wounded and out of ammo, I shot him with the last bullet in my gun, right in the head," Lisker said. "I almost threw away my badge after that. I was... disgusted, afraid, angry, sad... It took me a while to process everything, but after I had some time to think, I was able to move forward... at first," Lisker said.

"But afterwards... I began to notice things. I started paying attention to the way the system was abused and manipulated. I saw how anyone with enough money, or who was the right species, could get away with anything as long as there was no admissible evidence. I saw so many animals get hurt or killed, or abused and wronged and cheated out what they deserved by others that I began to question just what it was that I was supposed to be doing. Just what was my duty? What exactly was I supposed to be upholding and protecting? So, deciding to become proactive, I started following certain criminals, tracking them and gathering evidence, even when there weren't any cases against them," Lisker said.

"And then, after I thought that I had enough evidence to guarantee convictions, I would hand it to my superiors. And then I'd wait. And wait... and wait... and wait some more. Nothing would happen, and on those rare occasions when something did happen, the convictions were always overturned. I kept wondering why, though. These criminals were monsters. I _knew_ that they deserved to be punished for the things that they'd done, but the system wasn't doing anything," Lisker said.

"I began to see the truth, Hopps. I slowly began to realize that the system, which I had sworn to uphold and protect, was broken. It wasn't worth upholding. It wasn't worth protecting anymore," Lisker continued. "I realized that as long as I followed this set of bullshit rules and guidelines, nothing would change. The criminals would just keep hurting and killing, and the innocent would continue to suffer. So decided to something about it. I became proactive, and when someone who deserved punishment escaped it, I would find them and deliver it."

Judy stared at Lisker in shock. "I-I can't believe this. Just how many animals have you _killed?_ " Judy asked him. "Quite a few," Lisker replied with a smile. "But Zootopia is a safer place now. Sure, I had some qualms with my own actions at first, but when I saw how animals were able to walk around without having to look over their shoulders in fear, I knew that I was doing the right thing. But, eventually, I was promoted to a position where I couldn't easily go out there and do my duty to the world. I also soon realized that I simply couldn't keep doing this on my own. A single vigilante can only do so much, but when they find others who share their goals and dreams, then they can do so much more," Lisker said.

"Pelton and Benezio. You trained them, didn't you?" Judy asked him. "Well, the academy trained them on the basics, but I did help them with some advanced things. When those rookies were sent to my precinct, I knew that I had found my pack. The only ones who didn't fit in were Hooper and, eventually, Furrero. I like that girl, I really do, but she rejected my offer to join us when she had the chance," Lisker said.

"So you also attacked her with Pelton, didn't you? Does Blackwell know about this?" Judy asked him. Lisker chuckled. "Blackwell? Hopps, who do you think did most of the damage? And I really can't believe that you haven't figured this out yet, but who was the first animal to arrive at the scene of the pool incident?" Lisker replied.

Judy's eyes widened further. "B-Blackwell... you ordered him to murder all of those foxes!?" Judy asked him in disgust. "No, I gave him strict orders to only kill Grimes," Lisker said. "It's his intense hatred for foxes that made him kill the others. Don't worry, I reprimanded him for it, and one day, he'll find himself scrubbing toilets in a prison for killing the other foxes, but right now I still need him to help me reach my goal," Lisker said.

"So it's okay for Blackwell to live after slaughtering a group of innocent civilians, but organized crime bosses have to die no matter what?" Judy asked him in disgust. "Hopps, listen, Blackwell _will_ get what's coming to him one day, but I need him right now. Just like I need Benezio and Horrowitz for their skills at interrogation and document forgery if I'm going to make Zootopia safer," Lisker said.

"You think it will be safer with you and your posse running around!? You're just as bad as the criminals that you want to kill!" Judy cried. "Hopps, I'm not doing this for money or for fame. I'm doing this to make the world a better place! I thought that _you_ of all people would understand that," Lisker said. "So killing animals without trial is somehow going to make the world a better place!? At least when I interrogated Weaselton with Mr. Big I only scared him! I didn't torture him into confessing to something that he didn't do!" Judy retorted.

"I admit that Benezio and Horrowitz did go too far with that fox, and I was a bit too lenient with them in regards to some of the things they did, but most of the animals we broke deserved it. Everything that we've done has been for the purpose of curing Zootopia of the crime that infects it," Lisker said. "How do you know that the animals you've killed really deserved to die?" Judy asked him in disgust.

"Vanderbelt murdered three young females who could've had bright futures ahead of them! The Fasa brothers drugged that female hyena and then took turns raping her. You wanna know something else, Judy!? According to the medical report, the drug that they gave her didn't dull her senses, it only made her unable to coordinate her brain with her limbs," Lisker snarled as his eyes burned with a ferocity that made Judy gasp in fear.

"She could still feel everything that they did to her and she was helpless to protect herself as they violated her over and over again until she finally lost consciousness from the trauma. And after they finally went to trial, the bastards got away with it because of a biased judge and jury! Gringwald broke animals' legs and threatened their loved ones, and Grimes went around doing plenty worse on his own when Gringwald wasn't available! He would get animals hooked on whatever substance he wanted to sell and force them to give him every last penny in order to feed their addiction! And then he would attack them if they couldn't pay for more of it, forcing them into theft or anything else in order to make more money to buy whatever they were hooked on. He _destroyed_ people's lives, Hopps!" Lisker shouted at Judy.

"They still should have been tried and sentenced by the courts!" Judy retorted. "That's how the system works!" Judy shouted back. "The system is broken, Hopps! It doesn't work! The Fasa brothers should be proof enough! If Pelton hadn't killed them, then they would have assaulted and raped that girl again, or they would have found another female to rape! We did the world a favor by killing them! They deserved their punishment!" Lisker snarled.

"But it was still murder! You're still breaking the law!" Judy retorted. "Dammit, this isn't about the law, Hopps! This is about justice! This is about doing what needs to be done, no matter the cost!" Lisker snapped. "That doesn't mean that it's _right,_ " Judy said. "Listen, I don't need the _law_ to tell me what's right; I _know_ what's right," Lisker said darkly.

"Hopps, I'm trying to make the world a better place. That's why I joined the police in the first place. That's why _you_ became a police officer too, isn't it? You wanted to make the world a better place, didn't you?" Lisker asked her, having begun to calm down. "Yes, but not like this," Judy replied. "I know it may not seem right, but with a system as broken as ours, this is the only way to get things done. It's not a question of whether or not to use violence; it's just that there _is_ no other way," Lisker said.

Judy shook her head. "I don't believe that," she said firmly. "You're still green," Lisker said in disappointment. Judy quickly started the engine of the car. "So, where are we going?" Lisker asked her. "The station. I'm turning you in and exposing this whole-" Judy stopped talking as she heard movement. She turned her head and saw Lisker pointing the barrel of his .357 at her head.

"I'd really rather not have to use this, Hopps," Lisker said. "Are you going to kill me?" Judy asked him. "I hope that I don't have to," Lisker replied. "You're a good cop, Hopps. You have a lot of potential, and I'd hate to see it get wasted," Lisker continued. "Besides, you've got nothing on me anyway. I never gave you a chance to turn on that pen of yours," Lisker said with a grin.

Judy looked away briefly. "That's right, I know all of your tricks," Lisker said. "Now, the smart thing to do is keep quiet. I'll give you twenty four hours to make a decision. You don't necessarily have to join us, but you still need to keep your mouth shut," Lisker said. "You say anything, and I'll make sure that the whole precinct knows about your connection to Mr. Big," Lisker threatened.

"Join us or at least keep quiet, and no one has to know," Lisker said. "Now. We can continue searching for Wilde, and I _do_ promise to bring him in alive if you cooperate, or we can go back to the station and Bogo can give you some lame desk duty," Lisker said. "The choice is yours," Lisker said. Judy took a deep breath to calm herself.

"Nick... left me a voice message on my phone last night. He said that he was somewhere safe, but he would give me any details. He also told me about Pelton killing Hooper," Judy said. "Anything else?" Lisker asked her. "He asked me to call him at nine o'clock this morning, but I didn't get the chance," Judy said.

"I see. Tell me... what else were you doing with Milius earlier?" Lisker asked her. Judy looked him in the eyes. "I played Nick's message for him," Judy said. "So, he knows too, huh? Is there anything else I'm missing?" Lisker asked her. Judy nodded her head. "I gave him Nick's phone number."

* * *

"I wish I had a more fuel efficient car," Milius mused as he pulled away from the gas station and got back out onto the main road. "Okay, I've searched high and low in this district, and still no sign of Wilde," Milius said to himself as he kept driving. He saw a small way sign that mentioned Dom's Bar & Grille. _Well, I am kind of hungry_ , Milius thought to himself as he pulled off from the main road.

After driving a few more minutes, he came across the parking lot for the eatery. Parking his car, the leopard got out and walked inside, eager to get out of the rain. "Wish I'd brought an umbrella too," he muttered as he stepped inside. Looking over at the counter where the Komodo Dragon was serving two jaguars, Milius sighed before looking around at the grille area.

Walking over, he saw two mammals in the kitchen, a giant otter and a panther, working on what looked like fish or some kind of poultry. "Hm, chicken, I hope," Milious said quietly to himself as he walked closer. "Well, that smells good," Milius said. The otter turned to look at him. "I'll be with you after I finish this, sweetie. Just give me a few minutes," she said.

"Take your time. Oh, can I have a menu, though?" Milius asked her. "There should be some menus in a drawer over there," she said as she added some frying oil to a pan. "I'll be sure to check," Milius said before turning around. As he did, he noticed a slumped over red fox sitting in a booth on the other side of the room. Carefully and quietly, Milius made his way over to the booth behind the fox and took out his cell phone.

He dialed Nick's number and waited as the fox's phone began to ring. Milius smirked as he watched Nick pick up his phone. "Hello?" Nick asked. "Hey, Wilde. I just got into a bar and I see a guy who looks an awful lot like you sitting in a booth. He looks like shit," Milius said with a grin. Nick turned his head to scan the eatery before he looked up behind himself.

Nick quickly ended the call and gulped as he looked at Milius, who stuffed his phone into his pocket. "So, what happened to your uniform?" Milius asked him. "I figured it was best to wear something a bit less noticeable. Discretion _is_ the better part of valor, after all," Nick replied. "Okay, but where'd you get it?" Milius asked him. "I'm borrowing it... from an otter," Nick said. "I guess you only switched tops, though, right?" Milius asked him.

"Yeah. She doesn't have any pants that'll fit me," Nick said. "Does she have anything else that you'll fit in?" Milius asked with a smirk. "Har-dee-har-har," Nick said. Milius walked over to the other side of the table and sat down across from Nick. "So, you been hiding here since yesterday?" Milius asked him.

"It's the only place I can think of that no one will search," Nick said. "Yet. Hopps will probably try to search here at some point," Milius said. "So, are you gonna take me in?" Nick asked him somberly. "No. I heard your message for Hopps. You actually helped me solve my case a lot quicker," Milius replied. "The pool incident?" Nick asked him. "Yep. Like I said before, it only _looked_ like a mob hit. It was probably one of Lisker's boys," Milius said.

"Lisker," Nick said. "Hooper told me that Lisker and the other transfers were like pack to each other. But you said that Lisker set me up, right?" Nick said. "That's right," Milius said. "So, if they were all pack, then why the hell would they attack Furrero and kill Hooper?" Nick asked.

"Did Hooper say if he was considered pack by the others?" Milius asked him. "Actually, he said that he wasn't," Nick replied. "Why's that?" Milius asked him. "He told me that he was just too independent to cling to Lisker like the others did," Nick explained. "And Furrero was the one who exposed their other kills to us," Milius said.

"But they didn't kill her," Nick said. "They slipped up is all," Milius said. "Right now she's in stable condition, but no one knows which medical facility she's residing in, except for Bogo," Milius said. "And the moment she wakes up, Lisker and the others will certainly try to finish the job, assuming they can get away with it," Nick said bitterly.

"Or they'll just blame me for it," Nick added. "So... I guess you aren't really in the mood to see your fellow officers any time soon, are you?" Milius asked him before Marigold came over. "Um, excuse me, but would you like a menu?" Marigold offered the leopard.

"Uh, sure," Milius said as he took the menu from her paws. "I'll be back when you're ready," Marigold said. "Actually, this chicken sandwich sounds okay," Milius said. "Grilled or breaded?" Marigold asked him. "Grilled," Milius replied. "All right then, I'll get started on it," Marigold said before turning around and walking back to the kitchen.

"So, back to my question," Milius said. Nick huffed. "They tried to _kill me_ , Milius," Nick spat with a frown. "Well, it seems that Lisker certainly has everyone dancing to his tune. He's one slick bastard, isn't he?" Milius replied. "It isn't fair," Nick said. "Of course it isn't fair," Milius said in response. "I've done nothing wrong, and everyone still wants to punish me. It's just like joining the Junior Ranger Scouts all over again," Nick said.

Milius raised an eyebrow. "You.. tried to join the Junior Ranger Scouts?" Milius asked him. "I did, and then I got tormented and muzzled just for being a fox," Nick replied. "Wow, that sucks," Milius said. "No shit," Nick said with a sigh. "Of course, they weren't trying to kill you, though, were they?" Milius asked him.

"No, but the message is the same. What does a fox like me think he's doing by trying to be something other than what society expects of his species?" Nick asked the leopard in bitter response. Milius stayed quiet and listened. "Well guess what? I'm gonna show them what I think I'm doing. I'm a cop, I'm innocent, and I'm gonna fucking prove it. I don't care how much they want to pass judgement on me before learning the truth, I'm going to prove them wrong about me. I'm gonna get the bastards who set me up, and I'm gonna make sure that everyone knows I was the one who caught them," Nick said.

"You're right, fuck 'em," Milius said. Nick raised an eyebrow. "What?" Nick asked him. "The animals who want to judge just because of your species; fuck them. Fuck them right up their stupid asses. You're gonna prove you're innocent, and I'm gonna help, because I've seen too damn many animals like you get shafted because of prejudice," Milius said. "After I'm done eating, you're gonna get your uniform. Then, we're going to get in my car, and I'm going to sneak you back into the station, and we're going to collect all of our evidence, and we're going to prove that you were framed," Milius explained.

"The baton that Milton found was a wolf-sized baton. It's too big for you to handle... properly," Milius aid. "Wait, who's Milton?" Nick asked. "Lisker. It's his first name," Milius explained. "Oh. I didn't know that," Nick said. "Eh, it's not important. But what is important is us proving your innocence. And then, we are going to bring Lisker and his gang crashing down. Their whole operation is gonna go up in smoke, and we're gonna be there when it happens," Milius said.

"Damn straight," Nick said with a smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Lisker's backstory is based on the plot of the first Dirty Harry movie, but what can you expect from a story that's inspired by the franchise anyway? Anyway, in the next chapter, things occur and stuff happens. Oh, and there might be a car chase somewhere a long the line. Who doesn't love those, huh?


	14. The Big Hustle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Judy under Lisker's watch and the rest of the ZPD still on the hunt, Nick and Milius devise a plan to both prove Nick's innocence and expose Lisker's ring.

Disclaimer: Zootopia is property of Disney.

* * *

**The Big Hustle  
**

* * *

Date: Tuesday, May 17th, 2017 

After Lisker and Judy returned to the station that evening, the rabbit officer couldn't help but feel depressed. She had just learned that someone she looked up to was a serial murderer, along with several other officers. Pelton, Blackwell, Horrowitz, and Benezio were all killers, and Lisker was the ring leader.

She looked over at Clawhauser as she and Lisker walked past his desk. "Hey guys, no luck today?" Benjamin Clawhauser asked them. Lisker shook his head. "Nope. Not a single lead on Wilde's location," Lisker said. "No one else has found him yet either," Clawhauser said.

"Well, I guess that means he's still alive at least," Lisker said. "Hey, yeah! That's right," Clawhauser said with a smile. "Have you heard anything about Furrero's condition yet from the Chief?" Lisker asked the cheetah. "No. I haven't heard anything about her at all today," Clawhauser said while slowly shaking his head.

Judy's nose twitched as she began to realize what could happen when Cynthia finally woke up. "Well, just be sure to keep us posted," Lisker said as he walked away. Judy trailed after him quietly until they finally reached his office. Lisker hung up his jacket and sat down on his chair in front of his desk. "So, tomorrow I expect an answer from you," Lisker said as he looked Judy in the eyes.

"You don't have to join us, but you still need to stay quiet. When we capture Wilde, we can offer him the same deal," Lisker said. "And if he refuses?" Judy asked him. "Well, he's still wanted for murder and assault, so he'll probably end up going to prison anyway. If he joins us, then perhaps we can salvage this situation and change a few aspects of the story. After all, Pelton still maintains that he only arrived after the fact," Lisker said.

"And what happens if neither of us want to stay quiet?" Judy asked him. "Then I'm afraid that Wilde will go to prison and you will either join him or disappear. And, of course, your connection to a certain arctic shrew will also be revealed to everyone," Lisker said. "How do you know that this won't catch up to you?" Judy asked him. "Because I've been doing this for years, Hopps. I know how to cover my tracks. I know my limitations," Lisker replied calmly.

"But the others don't. In fact, if you hadn't tried to frame Finnick, we probably would never have caught on to Benezio and Horrowitz. We would've only noticed Pelton or Blackwell when we put the pieces together," Judy said. Lisker took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a few seconds. When he opened them, he looked at Judy with a frown.

"Hopps, even if those boys get caught, there are still plenty more where they came from. I can easily recruit others to my cause. I was hoping you would be one of them," Lisker said. "Like I said in the car, we both want justice, and we both want to make the world a better place," Lisker added. "Yes, we have very different ways of doing it," Judy replied.

"Hopps, I've read your file. You've wanted to be a police officer since you were a child. It's been your dream to change the world, and now you have a chance. I thought you would be more than willing to take it," Lisker said, confused. "Well, I'm afraid that you've misjudged me," Judy said.

Lisker sighed in disappointment. "You still have until tomorrow to make a decision. Can I trust you to at least keep quiet until then?" Lisker asked her. "I'll keep quiet about you-know-who as well," Lisker said. "Fine. I'll tell you my decision tomorrow," Judy said reluctantly. "Okay. You have my word that I'll stay quiet as well. And Hopps? I really do think that you're a stellar officer," Lisker said as Judy exited his office. Judy nodded her head in slight appreciation before closing the door behind her.

Walking over to the elevator to head up to the office area where her cubicle was located, Judy stopped and looked down the hallway at the lobby, where Clawhauser was still seated, chatting away with Snarlof and Delgato. _Wait a minute... Clawhauser! He knows about Fru Fru! I... I don't know if I can trust him with the whole truth, though_ , Judy thought in desperate contemplation. _He's the only chance I've got... and Milius! I forgot all about him! But, can I trust him to keep it quiet? If Bogo finds out... I'll get fired for sure. But... they're the only ones I can trust right now_ , Judy realized as she entered the elevator and ascended to the floor with the office cubicles.

* * *

Conan Milius had just taken his flash drive out of the computer when Chief Bogo opened the door to his office cubicle. "Inspector," Bogo said cordially. "Chief," Milius responded blandly.

"I... haven't yet received a report from you today," Bogo said. "There wasn't much to report," Milius said. "What about your lead?" Bogo asked him. "It was a bust," Milius said. "I see. I still expect a report from you before you leave today," Bogo said. "I know," Milius replied.

"Uh, Chief?" Milius asked as Bogo turned around. "Yes?" Bogo asked him. "What's Lisker's progress on _his_ case?" Milius asked. "That's not really your concern," Bogo said. "Oh, but it is, Chief. They're connected. I know it, you know it, we all know it. And you and I both know the common thread between them," Milius said with a smirk.

"Conan... drop it. I've already have one cop in a hospital, one dead, one in a holding cell, and another on the run. I don't need you to start making accusations against other officers when we still have to find Wilde," Bogo said. "Chief, Benezio never had patrol duty in the areas where all of the victims were found. The only one we can connect him with is Grimes. You and I both know that the other killer is still out there, and we have only two possibilities," Milius said.

"Milius, when you have proof that points to a specific individual, then we'll talk. Until then, focus on your own case," Bogo said as he turned around. "You know that Wilde is innocent, Chief. We both know that he didn't kill Hooper," Milius said. "Milius, I'm warning you right now," Bogo said. "Pelton did it," Milius said with a grin.

"That's it," Bogo said angrily as turned around and held out a hoof. "Finish your report on the pool house case and get ready for a nice long suspension," Bogo said. "Sure thing. Just give me an hour and I'll be out of your fur," Milius said. Bogo snorted and turned around, storming out of the cubicle and down the hallway.

 _Well, I guess it_ _ **was**_ _a good idea to leave Wilde back at the bar. And with a suspension, I have all the time I need to work on proving the fox's innocence_ , Milius thought to himself as he sat back down and began typing his report. "But... do I tell Hopps about his location?" Milius asked himself in contemplation. "If I do, then what are the chances of Lisker finding out?"

* * *

**Hours Later, in the Indoor Firing Range**

Lisker took aim at the target on the firing range and squeezed the trigger of his Smythe & Weasel Model Z-29 revolver one last time. He pressed the button for the rail to bring back the target sheet. He took off his ear muffs and looked at the target sheet before grabbing it. "I've still got it," he said to himself.

All six shots were in the center torso region, inside the center-most circle. Lisker tilted his head when he heard foot steps approaching his stable. Turning around, he saw Horrowitz, Pelton, and Blackwell standing together. "What's the plan?" Pelton asked Lisker. "For Wilde?" Lisker asked them. "No, we know what that plan is," Blackwell said bitterly.

"We meant the rabbit," Horrowitz clarified. "Hopps? I've given her twenty-four hours to decide if she wants to join us," Lisker said. "But, Sir, she could easily tell anyone about us in that time!" Blackwell hissed. "No, she won't," Lisker said. "How do you know that?" Blackwell asked him.

"Because I have blackmail on her. As long as I stay quiet about _her secret_ , she will keep quiet about _ours_ ," Lisker said. "You mean her connection to Mr. Big?" Horrowitz asked. "Yes," Lisker said with a nod of his head. "And if she doesn't want to join us?" Pelton asked. "Then we give her a chance to keep quiet. The moment she talks, we'll set her up to fall. I'd personally rather not kill her, seeing how she's actually helping bring about change in her own way, but at the same time... we can't let her expose us before we've accomplished our goal," Lisker said as he leaned against a wall of the shooting stable.

"We could find someone or something she values, and threaten her with it," Blackwell suggested. Lisker furrowed his brows and turned his head, glaring at the younger wolf with scorn. "Say that again?" Lisker asked him. "We threaten someone she cares about so that she'll stay quiet," Blackwell elaborated. "Like Wilde?" Horrowitz asked. "Oh yeah, if we find him before her, then we can use his safety as leverage against her," Pelton said.

"I've already promised her that we'll bring him in alive as long as she cooperates with us," Lisker said. "Then she still has an angle to work with. What about her family?" Blackwell asked, earning a growl from Lisker. "Quinn... you're treading on thin ice right now. If we punish Hopps for her actions, then we only attack _her_ or _Wilde_ , not her family or his. Leave their families out of this," Lisker said firmly.

"But it would guarantee her cooperation," Blackwell protested. "No. First of all, we are above that. Hopps's family is off limits, understand? We punish only _her_ for her actions, not her family. Her family has no involvement other than blood relation, so there is no reason to go after them," Lisker said.

"What about Wilde's family?" Pelton asked. "He only has his mother. No, we're not touching her either," Lisker said. "Oh, come on! She's a fox, just like him!" Blackwell spat. "Quinn, you hold your tongue right now or so help me I will tell Bogo that I've found a suspect in the murder case," Lisker said.

"You _wouldn't_ ," Blackwell said. "I would. You already crossed a line when you attacked the other foxes at the pool, and now you're suggesting that we attack people's families," Lisker said with a frown. "That is _not_ how we operate, Quinn Blackwell. That's two strikes." "So, Pelton killed Hooper in order to frame Wilde," Blackwell retorted. "It wasn't my brightest idea, but Hooper was never pack to begin with. He would have easily put the pieces together and exposed us," Lisker said.

"What about Milius?" Horrowitz asked. "Damn, I forgot about the cat," Pelton said. "Hopps said that he has Wilde's phone number, _and_ he knows about you, Pelton," Lisker said. "So Milius has access to Wilde? He could lead us to the fox," Horrowitz said. "Unless he's already found him," Pelton said. "Then what do we do?" Blackwell asked.

"We find Milius, and then we find Wilde," Lisker said. "But, what do we do about Milius after we've located Wilde?" Pelton asked. "Well, Milius isn't exactly the most likeable cop in the ZPD. He's constantly earning spots on Chief Bogo's shit list, but all things considered, we might be able to sway him to our side," Lisker said. "And if we can't sway him?" Blackwell asked. "Then you know what needs to be done," Lisker said. "Should we make it look like Wilde did it?" Pelton asked.

"Flip a coin. On one paw, it might seem suspicious if you find another dead cop at the scene, but it might also motivate everyone else to search harder for him," Lisker said. "But they might definitely kill him without hesitation in that case. I thought we wanted to bring him in alive to make Officer Hopps cooperate us," Horrowitz spoke up.

"What if we make it look like an _accident?_ Like his car malfunctioned? Or perhaps he slipped off a ledge while pursuing Wilde?" Pelton suggested. "No one would blame Wilde under those circumstances, would they?" Horrowitz asked. "Weren't you paying attention? Half of the force was trying to _kill_ Wilde yesterday without bothering to find out if he was truly guilty," Lisker said.

"If we're going to bring in Wilde and take care of Milius while watching Hopps, we're going to be spread thin," Pelton said. "We need another person," Blackwell said. "If only we still had Benezio with us," Horrowitz said with a sigh. Blackwell's ears perked up.

"Is there any way that we can free Benezio?" Blackwell asked. "Not without arousing suspicion from everyone," Lisker replied, shaking his head ruefully. "I could try to get him out. I can forge the documents to make it look like he's being transferred to an undisclosed location," Horrowitz said. "Are you certain that you won't get caught?" Lisker asked him.

"I'm positive," Horrowitz replied with a grin. "But then who's going to pick him up?" Pelton asked. "Oh, I hadn't thought of that," Horrowitz said. "Maybe I can convince Bogo to let him out," Lisker said. "How?" Pelton asked him. "It'll be a chance for Benezio to "redeem" himself in everyone else's eyes. Like a test of sorts," Lisker said. "Um, look, I'm all for Wilde getting the shit kicked out of him by Benezio, but I'm also pretty sure it would take at least a few days, if not more than a week, for Benezio to get let out of holding," Pelton said.

"You are such a killjoy," Blackwell said. "No, he has a point," Lisker said reluctantly. "Even _I_ wouldn't be able to get Benezio out so easily. And Bogo would definitely question where the documents for Benezio's transfer are coming from and who signed them. He's not stupid enough for this plan to work," Lisker added.

"So, there goes that plan. What can we do now?" Horrowitz asked. "We'll just deal with whatever comes our way. I'll take care of Hopps and Milius. Pelton and Blackwell; the two of you just go along with whatever assignment Bogo gives you. I'll see if I can get Bogo to give Hooper's bike to you, Pelton. Hooper definitely doesn't need it anymore," Lisker said. "What about me?" Horrowitz asked.

"Um... Just go along with whatever assignment Bogo gives you," Lisker said. "Right now, all of you just go home. Arrive here an hour early tomorrow and I'll have a plan ready," Lisker said after a minute of thinking. "Yes sir," Pelton said as the trio left the stable, leaving Lisker alone with his gun and his target sheet. He looked down at his gun in silent contemplation before reloading it and hanging up a new target sheet on the rail.

After setting the rail to take the sheet out to a distance of 30 meters, Lisker aimed his gun at the target and narrowed his eyes. In his mind, the target was a gazelle with a crazed look in his eyes and manic grin on his face. "You want a lawyer? Here's your fucking lawyer," Lisker whispered as he remembered the pleading and begging that the psycho had done when he'd tracked him down all those years ago.

He fired until his gun was empty and retracted the target sheet. After taking the sheet off of the clip on the rail, he looked at the cluster of shots on the sheet. One shot in the head, three in the torso, and two in the groin. He frowned as he looked at the sheet. In his mind, he could still hear the maniac laughing about letting the fox kit die. He would always hear that laugh, every time he was alone, until the day he died.

* * *

Judy Hopps sat on the edge of her bed, holding her cell phone in her paws. She held the device as though it held the keys to both her salvation and her destruction. Taking a deep breath, Judy selected Clawhauser's number from her contact list and typed up a lengthy text message. After looking it over, she hit the send button and watched as the two-part message was delivered, waiting for the progress bar to reach completion.

As soon as the bar hit 100%, Judy let out a sigh of relief and promptly fell back against her bed, staring up at the ceiling. "I just hope he manages to get a hold of Milius. I never got his number," Judy said to herself. " _ **Is that the guy she's dating?**_ " Judy heard Bucky ask from the other side of the wall.

" _ **I thought she was with that fox?**_ " " _ **You mean the one the police just posted a WANTED notice for? Oh, dude!**_ " Bucky exclaimed. Judy's eyes widened and her ears shot up at hearing about the WANTED notice. She quickly used her phone to access the latest news and saw that a WANTED notice had indeed been spread to various news media outlets. The notice had just been sent out two hours earlier.

Judy quickly dialed Clawhauser's number. " _Hello?_ " Clawhauser asked. "Clawhauser, who sent out the WANTED notice for Nick!?" Judy asked him. " _WANTED notice? There shouldn't be a WANTED notice posted for at least another two days. Chief Bogo's been trying to minimize media attention and keep this case quiet until we can narrow down Nick's location,_ " Clawhauser replied. "Well somebody didn't get the memo!" Judy retorted.

" _I'll tell the Chief right away! Oh, I just got a notification for two text messages from you. Are they also about the WANTED notice?_ " Clawhauser asked. "No, they're about something else, but it's still important that you read them after you've talked to Bogo. And, Clawhauser, please only tell Inspector Milius about the text messages. I... I can't trust anyone else, aside from you and him," Judy begged.

" _Okay. I'll make sure to talk to him when he comes in tomorrow morning,_ " Clawhauser said. "You don't have his phone number?" Judy asked him. " _No. I have an old number of his, but that was from a few years ago. He's changed his phone number since then. I don't know his new number,_ " Clawhauser replied. "Okay. Just... please make sure that you keep this between just you and him. It's about Nick... and something else I've been keeping secret, but first I need you to talk to Bogo about the WANTED notice!" Judy said.

" _You got it!_ " Clawhauser replied before hanging up. Judy took a deep breath and then let it out in a shudder. "Why is this happening?" she asked herself. " _ **Maybe the universe just has it out for you! Try being someone else!**_ " Pronk suggested through the wall. " _ **Dude, it's her friend that's in trouble, not her!**_ " Bucky chided Pronk. " _ **But just listen to her! She's practically blaming herself for everything that's happening to him! It's just like that incident last year when those predators were going crazy because those sheep were drugging them with toxic plants and she made those naive comments on live TV! Her heart is just too big and fragile! Her own boundless love is causing her to destroy herself from within in a twisted irony of fate!**_ " Pronk retorted.

" _ **That is the fourth stupidest thing I have ever heard you say!**_ " Bucky shouted back. Judy glanced at the wall before returning her attention to the ceiling as she tried to find the will to sleep. " _ **I thought the fourth thing was me blaming aliens for the TV being broken?**_ " Pronk asked. " _ **That was the FIRST of the stupidest things that I've heard you say, not the fourth!**_ " Bucky retorted. Judy sighed as she felt her eyes begin to water.

Right now, Nick's life was in even more danger than ever, and her two neighbors could only argue about the stupidest things that they've said to each other. Judy hadn't even realized that she was sobbing by the time the two animals had stopped shouting. " _ **Oh great! Hear that!? You made her cry! Good going, jackass!**_ " Pronk shouted at Bucky. " _ **It wasn't ME! It was YOU! You're the one who's always shouting and saying stupid things!**_ " Bucky retorted.

" _ **What!?**_ " Pronk asked in shock. " _ **You heard me! Now go over there and apologize to her!**_ " Bucky ordered Pronk. " _ **Hey, we told her right when she moved in that we wouldn't apologize for being loud!**_ " Pronk snapped. " _ **We didn't say anything about being insensitive, though! So go over there and apologize in person for being an asshole!**_ " Bucky retorted.

" _ **But she can hear us through the wall! Why can't I just apologize through the wall!?**_ " Pronk asked. " _ **It's more heartfelt when you do it in person!**_ " Bucky yelled back. " _ **But I'm naked and smell like sweat!**_ " Pronk protested. " _ **Then get dressed and put on deodorant!**_ " Bucky shouted.

By the time Pronk had gotten dressed and made his way over to the door, Judy had already cried herself to sleep.

* * *

Date: Wednesday, May 18th, 2017 

Conan Milius quietly drove his car into the parking lot of the ZPD First Precinct. After getting out, grabbing his coffee, and locking the doors, Milius glanced over at the still-parked green car that was owned by Nicholas P. Wilde. Walking past the car, Milius stopped and walked over to inspect it, holding his coffee firmly in one paw as he did so.

He crouched down to look at the ground underneath and around the car for a few minutes before standing back up and walking away, entering the front doors of the station. Walking up to the front desk, Milius signed in. He was about to walk away when Clawhauser whispered to him. "Hey, can I speak to you... privately?" Clawhauser asked him.

Milius raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Well, I do need to-" "Now, please?" Clawhauser asked him. Milius sighed. "Okay. Where at?" Milius asked the cheetah. Clawhauser quickly scanned the room before ushering Milius over to the backside of the monument behind the front desk. "Okay, what is it?" Milius asked grumpily. "Well... Judy-I mean Officer Hopps, wanted me to tell you as soon as possible," Clawhauser said.

"Tell me? Tell me what? Don't play games, Clawhauser. Just tell me what she wants me to know, or I'll ask her myself," Milius said. "She's the godmother of Mr. Big's granddaughter," Clawhauser whispered. A confused look appeared on Milius's muzzle before his eyes widened marginally. "Huh. Well... I honestly was not expecting that," Milius said.

"Yeah... she, uh, doesn't want the Chief to know that she has connections to Mr. Big, even if it wasn't entirely intentional. Remember the Night Howler incident?" "Yeah, why?" Milius responded. "Well, remember how she caught Duke Weaselton in a giant donut in Little Rodentia? She saved Mr. Big's daughter from being crushed by the donut when Weaselton dismantled it from the roof of a coffee shop," Clawhauser explained.

"Okaaaaayyy... how do you know all of this?" Milius asked the cheetah. "Judy sent me some text messages explaining it last night," Clawhauser said. "Oh," Milius said. "Yeah. So, she and Nick got caught by Mr. Big's henchmen while searching for Mr. Otterton in Tundra Town, and Mr. Big's daughter saved their lives when she recognized Judy as the cop who saved her," Clawhauser explained. Milius nodded his head.

"Okay. Well... why exactly does she want you and me to know this?" Milius asked him curiously. "Well... Lisker found out and is using the information as leverage to make her cooperate with him," Clawhauser said. Milius's eyes widened before narrowing in anger.

Milius then smirked. "Well now, looks like I've got a wolf to talk to today," Milius said. "Yeah, but-wait... I just remembered something," Clawhauser said. "Yeah? What's that?" Milius asked him. "Didn't you get suspended yesterday?" Clawhauser asked him.

Milius's eyes widened. "Oh yeah. I... I can't believe I forgot," Milius said in shock. "So... you might want to clock back out," Clawhauser said. "Yeah, I... I should do that," Milius said before walking back around to the clock-in sheet at the front desk. He then walked back over to Clawhauser. "Uh, you didn't hear this from me, but... Pelton killed Hooper and framed Wilde," Milius said. "Well... Judy kind of already explained that. What do we do?" Clawhauser asked.

"What do we do? Well, since I'm not supposed to be working today, I can head right on over to where Wilde is hiding, pick him up, and drive around looking for other cops to piss off by saying that I found him first. Then I can find a place to hide him and say that he got away and that I still did a better job than the rest of them," Milius said with a grin. "Uh-huh. Look, Lisker's in charge of the whole killer cop thing, and he's a _lieutenant!_ " Clawhauser whispered fearfully.

"Benjamin? There's something very important that I need you to do for me. I don't know what it is yet, but when I know, I'll call you," Milius said. "But, you don't have my phone number," Clawhauser said. "Sure I do. You just don't have mine," Milius said. "Hello?" someone called out by the front desk. "Just tell them that you were reminding me about my suspension after seeing me enter the building," Milius whispered.

"Gotcha," Clawhauser whispered back before he made his way over to the front desk. Milius sighed and made his way over to the first floor break room. Opening the door without hesitation, he found two wolves sitting together at a table. Aside from himself, these were the only animals in the room.

Milius took a deep breath as he sized up the two cops who were focusing their attention on him. "Good morning, Inspector," One of them, Pelton, managed to say. "Mornin', Officer... Pelton," Milius replied before taking a sip of his coffee. "You know, with the way that you keep eyeing us, one might think that you're looking for something," Blackwell said.

"Yeah," Milius said. "So, um, I don't want this to sound out of line, but... do you get a kick out of it?" Milius asked before taking another sip of his coffee. "Excuse me?" Pelton asked in return. "A kick. You know, a thrill? A sense of excitement?" Milius clarified. "Excitement? From what, riding motorcycles?" Pelton asked. "Yeah, it feels pretty nice," Blackwell said.

"Oh, I bet it does. Shame that Hooper can't enjoy that anymore, isn't it?" Milius asked. "Yeah. That's, uh, definitely a shame. The funeral is this weekend," Pelton said. "Mm, I know. Chief told me. Any news on Furrero?" Milius asked them. "Nothing yet," Pelton replied. "Good. I guess that means she's still breathing," Milius said before sipping his coffee.

"Yeah. Chief gave me Hooper's bike this morning. I mean, it was his bike, but... well, he doesn't really need it anymore," Pelton said. "No, he doesn't. You certainly made damn sure of that, didn't you?" Milius said before taking another sip of his coffee. Both wolves glared at the leopard.

"You have a big mouth," Blackwell said. "Yeah. Big mouth, with big fangs, and I got big claws too," Milius said with a smirk. "Yeah. It's no wonder you're always on Chief Bogo's shit list," Blackwell said. "Well, I can't exactly deny _that_ ," Milius responded.

"We read about the incident in the Furmoore area a few years back," Pelton said after taking a breath. "Furmoore... yeah, I remember that night," Milius said. "A lot of animals in the ZPD and the city government got riled up over your use of force," Blackwell said.

"Yes, well, when I see an adult male chasing an adult female with the intent to commit rape, I shoot the bastard," Milius said. "You did what needed to be done, and someone with that kind of determination and conviction would certainly be at home with us. Being part of a group, being _pack_ ; it would certainly help you out," Pelton said. "Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but if I'd had a taser or a tranquilizer with me, I would have used one of those. I shot that antelope in the groin because all I had was my gun... and I thought it was poetic," Milius said.

"Poetic? Yeah, I can certainly understand how that was poetic," Pelton said, nodding his head. "Yup. It was completely justified, unlike some of the things that you guys have done lately," Milius said before sipping his coffee again. "With a few unfortunate exceptions, we've made sure that all of our targets were deserving of their punishments," Pelton said.

"Oh, really? And I suppose that Furrero _deserved_ to be _beaten_ within an inch of her life? What about Hooper? What exactly did he do to deserve getting his throat slashed?" Milius asked with thinly veiled disgust. "And what about Wilde? What did he do to deserve being framed for assault and murder?" Milius asked them with a cold glare.

"They were necessary sacrifices," Pelton said. "Sacrifices? Oh, I see. Furrero was close to exposing you guys to the whole precinct, so you tried to kill her. But... what the hell did Hooper do? I'm still a bit confused by that," Milius said. "Was it really necessary to frame Wilde for murder, Pelton? Or did you just get a sick thrill from it?" Milius asked in disdain.

To his credit, Pelton remain neutral, while Blackwell began to growl. Pelton held a paw up toward Blackwell, signaling him to calm down. Blackwell stopped growling, but continued glaring at Milius. "Listen, Inspector, if we're caught, then we can't continue our work. While I _was_ just following orders, I do agree that Hooper's death was regrettable, but what's done is done. We can't change the past," Pelton said.

"No, but you can disobey orders that are unlawful," Milius said. "Inspector, I don't think you really understand just what it is we're trying to do," Pelton said. "And just what are you trying to do?" Milius asked him. "We're fixing the mistakes made by the system. We're taking a stand against injustice," Blackwell said. "The law is broken. We've seen that much, and it isn't right when a rape victim is harassed or ignored because of their species. It's sickening when a murder victim's family has their spirits crushed because the killer was let free thanks to biased officers or bigoted judges and juries who don't care because of the victim's species," Pelton said.

"We've seen how the murderers and rapists are then free to kill and rape again, as long as their victims are a species that nobody likes, or when the criminals have enough money to bribe their way out. It's wrong, and it happens too often," Blackwell said. "The courts and precincts keep quiet about it, and no one knows except for the few officers who dare to open their eyes. And we've opened our eyes, Inspector," Pelton said. "And you think that makes you above the system? That it somehow doesn't apply to you anymore?" Milius asked in return.

"Inspector, we're doing what has to be done because the system we have now is broken. I thought I made it clear to you why we're doing this, but maybe I have to use simpler terms: the system isn't worth upholding," Pelton said. "Doesn't matter," Milius retorted. Both wolves raised eyebrows at Milius's declaration. "As broken as the system is, it's what we've got. And we have a duty to work with it as best we can until someone makes some changes to it that make sense or until something better comes along," Milius finished passionately.

"Alright, so maybe something better _will_ come along one day, or maybe someone _will_ make some sensible changes. The question is when, though? _When_ does it happen? Do we just let the bad guys get away until we can't do anything? What if we die before those changes or new system can happen? What if the victims die before they can see that justice has been served?" Pelton asked.

"I don't know. Let's see how Hooper's family feels knowing that you'll never get locked away for killing him," Milius said. "What family? He wasn't married, didn't have children, nor did he have any ongoing relationships with anyone," Blackwell said. "What about his parents and siblings? I know that they still exist," Milius suggested. Pelton and Blackwell merely glowered at him.

"But... you've convinced everyone that Wilde killed him. You've certainly got everyone riled up and frothing at the maw now. Using the same prejudice that's broken the system so that you can continue your little war against it. I don't know if I would describe that as irony or hypocrisy," Milius noted. "So what? He's a fox. An exception amongst them, but it's not like he would have lasted long on the force anyway," Blackwell retorted.

"Well, I guess not. After all, he's an _honest cop_ , not a smart one," Milius said. "And we know that honest people don't last long anywhere." "Watch it, Spots," Blackwell growled. "Cool it, Quinn," Pelton said. "So... you've sacrificed Furrero, Hooper, and Wilde. Hopps is next on the list, but what about me? When and how do you plan to sacrifice me, exactly?" Milius asked the duo.

"That depends on if you continue to stand against us. If you join us, then we don't have to do anything. Maybe you can have a long career doing the right thing," Pelton said. "I don't think so. You boys have beaten one cop into a coma, murdered a second cop, and then framed a third cop for what you did to the first two. Why the hell would I ever join you?" Milius asked them.

"If you guys had stopped after killing the Fasa brothers, just Gringwald, and Grimes... maybe I could see a future helping you, but you've crossed a line that even I won't touch. I may be a dirty bastard, but I at least know my limitations, unlike you," Milius said. "Well, it seems that we're at a crossroad here," Pelton said. "Yeah," Blackwell added darkly.

"Tell you what. I'll keep my mouth shut until Hopps's shift is over. After that... you'd just better hope that I don't get all of my evidence to Chief Bogo before you can get to me yourselves," Milius said with a grin before he turned around to open the door. "Oh, one more thing... I already know that you boys work for Lisker. It wasn't that hard to figure out, in case you're wondering," Milius said as he left the room.

Walking back over to the front desk, Milius took a key out of his pocket and gave it to Clawhauser. "Oh, what's this for?" Clawhauser asked him. "It's for a drawer in my desk, in case I don't come back after my suspension is over," Milius said. "What's in the drawer?" Clawhauser asked him. "Something I'll need you to give to Chief Bogo. Listen, Clawhauser... our friends from the Third Precinct know that I'm onto them. You're the only officer that they don't suspect of knowing anything. Please keep it that way as long as possible," Milius whispered to him, glancing over at the hallway.

"How long do you have until they come after you?" Clawhauser asked him. "Until Hopps's shift is over, but I should be able to collect all of my evidence, grab Wilde, and make it back here before then. What time does the morning briefing usually end?" "Well, I haven't attended any for a while, so I don't know for certain. But... I'd leave now if you want to get out of here without being followed," Clawhauser whispered back.

"When they leave, try to find out where everyone is heading or what they've been assigned, but don't be suspicious about it. See ya' around," Milius said before briskly walking out of the lobby and into the parking lot. Clawhauser looked back down at the key in his paws. "This is too much," he whispered to himself.

* * *

**One Hour Later...**

Inside the briefing room, Chief Bogo stood before his officers, an angry scowl on his face. On the board behind him was an image of the WANTED notice for Nick Wilde. "Alright... last night, someone prematurely sent this notice out to every news media outlet in Zootopia, and so our attempts at recovering Wilde quietly have been torpedoed. I still want everyone on their usual assignments. If a call comes in regarding Officer Wilde, I will assign the team nearest to his location to go find him and pick him up," Bogo said.

"We have additional dispatch officers at their posts. Also, Officer Pelton, the paperwork was completed this morning, and Hooper's bike now is yours to use. Honor his memory with it," Bogo said. Pelton nodded his head in affirmation. Judy glanced over at him before returning her attention to the Chief.

"Now, assignments are as follows, and I don't want any arguing or backtalk. Fangmeyer, you have parking duty today in downtown. Grizzoli, you have paperwork that needs to be finished before noon today. Blackwell, you have traffic duty along the freeway in the Rainforest District. Pelton... you have patrol along the transitional tunnel between Savanna Central and the Rainforest District," Bogo said.

Both wolves nodded their heads and walked out of the room. "Horrowitz, you have patrol with Burns today, in the Canal District. Chaney and Whittaker, you both have patrol in Sahara Square today, your usual routes. McLeod and Fursfield, you both have patrol in downtown. Make sure that Fangmeyer doesn't lose her ticket gun." "It was _one time_ ," the tigress muttered under her breath.

"Hornwitz, you and Statham have patrol in the Meadowlands, near Burwick Road. There have been reports of someone defacing private property with 'offensive' graffiti," Bogo said. "Oh, what a _nightmare_ ," Statham said sarcastically as he and Hornwitz got up and walked out of the room. "Rhinowitz and Trunkaby, you both have patrol near the Tundra Town transitional tunnels in Central. Johnson, you are temporarily being partnered with Officer Wolford at a location that I will disclose to you later. Please stay behind until then," Bogo said before continuing listing off assignments.

"Hopps, Lieutenant Lisker has once again requested your assistance in tracking down Wilde. Please see him immediately," Bogo said. "Now, Johnson and Wolford, please follow me to my office," Bogo said as he led the lion and wolf out of the room. Judy hesitantly got out of her seat and walked over to the door, pushing it open and looking through the hallway before walking over to the front desk to see Clawhauser.

"Psst! Hey, Clawhauser!" Judy whispered, causing the cheetah to look over the desk in order to see her. "Judy, what's up?" he asked her quietly. "Have you talked to Milius yet?" she asked. "Yeah. He knows where Nick is hiding. He's gonna go find him and bring him back today without anyone knowing," Clawhauser said. Judy's eyes widened in surprise and hope. "He-He is?" Judy asked him, her paws clasped together.

"He's gonna try, but... I heard that Pelton and Blackwell have patrol duty near the Rainforest District. Somewhere in there is where Nick's hiding, and if they catch him coming out... Milius gave me a key to a drawer in his desk with some stuff he wanted me to give to Bogo, but he wouldn't tell me exactly what it is," Clawhauser whispered.

Judy nodded her head in understanding before hearing the sound of soft footsteps emanating from paw pads under a canine's feet. Judy looked to her right and saw Lisker casually strolling towards her and Clawhauser. Lisker smiled at Clawhauser and nodded his head. "Morning, Clawhauser," Lisker said in a friendly manner.

"M-Morning, Lieutenant," Clawhauser replied. Lisker caught the slight hesitation in his voice. "So, did you forget how to get to my office?" Lisker asked Judy as he leaned against the front desk. "No, I was just talking to Clawhauser," Judy said. "Oh. The latest gossip, I take it?" Lisker asked her. "Well... not much, really. All everyone talks about now is Nick-I mean, Officer Wilde, and whether or not he's actually guilty," Clawhauser said.

"Hmm, well, if we can bring him in alive, then we may just find out," Lisker said before walking off to the hallway that led to the parking garage. "Come on, Hopps. We've got to find Wilde before some trigger-happy idiot does," Lisker said. Judy glanced back at Clawhauser one last time before racing after Lisker.

* * *

**Dom's Bar & Grille**

"So, what's the plan?" Nick asked Milius as he buckled his seat belt. "I'm gonna call dispatch and tell Clawhauser that I've found you," Milius said. "What!? I thought we were gonna do this without anyone noticing!" Nick shrieked. "Wilde, those bastards know that I'm onto them. We have to expose them, and I don't give a damn about the repercussions that the department could face either. We need to take them down, and we need to prove that you're innocent," Milius said.

"But-" "Listen! Do you know what's going to happen when Furrero wakes up?" Milius asked the fox. "What's gonna happen?" Nick asked. "Those bastards are gonna find out, and they're gonna finish the job. Lisker is a detective, so he'll find out eventually where Furrero's being kept, and then he'll send one of his three boys over there to finish her," Milius said. "But how do we expose them?" Nick asked.

"Simple. We put our lives on the line. We have to make them chase us and show everyone just what they're willing to do," Milius said. "You say that like you've done it before," Nick noted.

"That's because I _have,_ " Milius responded. "Lisker doesn't know about this, since the case was swept under the rug, but I once took down a group of crooked cops before, and I don't mean that they were vigilantes like Lisker and his boys. No, these guys were simply power-hungry and corrupt as hell," Milius said. "So... did you arrest them?" Nick asked him.

"No, Bogo did. I simply baited them into showing their true colors," Milius said. "So... did Bogo send you out here to collect me?" Nick asked. "No. He doesn't even know what I'm doing. I'm suspended for the rest of the week, after all," Milius replied. "Oh, so-wait... you got suspended!? How did you manage that?" Nick asked the leopard.

"I mouthed off to Bogo and told him that Pelton killed Hooper," Milius said. "He didn't believe you?" Nick asked him. "I don't know. I don't think he _wants_ to believe that there's another group of crooked cops unless there's solid proof. Three of the assholes that he arrested before were his best friends," Milius said. "Oh," Nick said. "Yeah. It kind of... broke him, I think, to see that the people he trusted the most were the ones who had deceived him the most," Milius said.

"Ouch," Nick muttered. "Yeah, so let's go break him some more," Milius stated as he put the car into gear and backed up out of the parking space before turning around and driving out of the lot. As Milius neared a stop sign, he grabbed his radio and spoke into it. "Come in, Dispatch, this is Inspector Milius, off duty. I have located Officer Wilde and am now attempting to secure him. Come in, over," Milius said.

"Just give them a minute," Milius whispered as he saw Nick's expression. " _This is dispatch, we copy you. What is the location of Officer Wilde?_ " a female voice asked. "Huh, I thought that Clawhauser was the main dispatcher," Milius said before speaking into the radio. "He's inside an eatery called Dom's Bar and Grille. He just went inside, so I'm gonna wait a minute or two before heading in after him," Milius said.

" _Ten-Four. Please wait for backup to arrive before proceeding, over,_ " the dispatcher said in a firm tone. "Affirmative, over," Milius said. "I love saying 'over' for some reason," Milius mused out loud. "I don't know why." "Uh-huh," Nick muttered. "Well, let's get going," Milius said as he starting driving down the road.

"Dispatch said to wait," Nick said. "And do you _really_ want me to do that?" Milius asked him in response. "Not really," Nick said with a smirk. "Okay then," Milius said as he kept driving.

"Wait, the dispatcher said something about backup. Who are they going to send as backup?" Nick asked. Milius stopped the car before reaching into his pocket to get his phone. He handed it to Nick. "Call up Clawhauser and ask him who's on patrol here," Milius said before he resumed driving. Nick dialed Clawhauser's number and waited for the cheetah to answer.

" _Inspector?_ " Clawhauser asked. "Uh, no. Clawhauser, it's me," Nick said. " _Nick? Oh em goodness! Are you okay?_ " Clawhauser asked him. "I've been better. Anyway, did you hear Milius's call to dispatch?" Nick asked him. " _Yeah. But I thought he wanted to bring you back here quietly. I'm really confused right now,_ " Clawhauser replied. "Well, listen, who's on patrol in or near the Rainforest District right now?" Nick asked him.

" _Horrowitz and Sergeant Burns on on patrol in the Canal District right now, but Blackwell and Pelton are currently doing patrol near the transitional tunnel. They'll be the first ones to arrive,_ " Clawhauser said. Nick turned to look at Milius. "Blackwell and Pelton might be the first ones to head our way," Nick said. "Good. That makes this a whole lot easier," Milius responded with a grin.

"Clawhauser, do you know if anyone else is heading our way?" Nick asked. " _I just got a text from Judy. She and Lisker are heading your way,_ " Clawhauser said. "Ask him if there have been any updates on Furrero's condition," Milius said. "What?" Nick asked. "Just do it," Milius insisted. "Uh, Benny, have there been any updates on Furrero's condition?" Nick asked.

" _Not for Furrero herself, but I'm pretty sure that Wolford and Johnson were being sent over to wherever she's at in order to provide more security for her today,_ " Clawhauser replied. "He says there are no changes in her condition, but Wolford and Johnson have been sent over to her location for security today," Nick relayed as they reached the stop sign at the entrance back onto the main road.

Milius furrowed his brows in thought. After taking a deep breath, he spoke. "Tell Clawhauser to tell Hopps that we're heading to Furrero's location," Milius said. "But we don't know her location," Nick retorted. "Lisker and the others don't know that," Milius said with a smirk. Things suddenly clicked in Nick's mind.

"You're crazy," Nick muttered. "Maybe. But if they think that we're going to Furrero's location, they'll follow us," Milius explained. "And they'll attempt to kill us?" Nick asked him.

"They'll try that either way, but if Lisker can find an excuse to kill us and justify it, this is his best bet, and what weapon do you think they'll use on us?" Milius replied. "The conotoxin darts," Nick said. "Yes. If they have those on them, then we can prove their guilt, and we can prove your innocence. That toxin would kill Furrero without any trouble if they were to get to her, and for us? Lisker could shoot us with his piece or he could let Pelton and Blackwell use their snail venom," Milius said.

"What about Horrowitz?" Nick asked him. "Shit, I forgot about him. He's with Burns right now, though, isn't he? Burns can handle him if he tries anything," Milius said. "I hope so," Nick said. "Right, now, give the message to Clawhauser," Milius said. "Oh, right," Nick said before telling Clawhauser. " _Are you sure that you guys can make it back to the station or someplace safe in time?_ " Clawhauser asked.

"No," Nick replied. "But we have to try. For Judy's and Cynthia's sake," Nick said. " _Where are you guys right now?_ " Clawhauser asked. "We're turning back onto the main road so that we can return to the freeway and get to the transitional tunnel that leads to Savanna Central," Nick said. " _Okay. Good luck, guys. Bye,_ " Clawhauser said before hanging up.

"So... how long are we gonna stay in this spot?" Nick asked Milius. "Until they can see us," Milius replied. "This is crazy," Nick said. "It's a hustle," Milius said. Nick's eyes widened as he looked at Milius. Milius glanced over at him with a smirk. The duo soon heard the faint sound of a motorcycle heading their way. "An animal's got to know their limitations," Milius said. "Let's see if these guys know theirs."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will have the big chase scene, swearing, action, and other stuff. This climax is upon us, and now the only question is... will our heroes survive?


	15. Reckless Endangerment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick and Milius spring their plan into action.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was written while listening to the soundtracks for Black Rain (1989) by Hans Zimmer, Lethal Weapon (1987) by Michael Kamen and Eric Clapton, and Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981) by Brian May (No, not the one from Queen). I especially recommend listening to the tracks Bikes/Fight from Black Rain and the tanker chase music from The Road Warrior while reading the main chase section. You can find the tracks and listen to them on YouTube.

Disclaimer: Zootopia is property of Disney.

* * *

**Reckless Endangerment**

* * *

Date: Wednesday, May 18th, 2017 

Nick and Milius waited for the sound of motorcycle engine to draw nearer before Milius backed up the car a few meters. He moved his left paw over to the adjustment knob for the headlights. "Come on, let's see the big bad wolf," Milius muttered as the engine sound got louder. "Are you sure that you know what you're doing?" Nick asked the leopard.

Milius glanced over at the fox and smirked. "Yes. I've done it before. Maybe this time I can do it without having to replace my windshield," Milius said humorously. "Wait, what _exactly_ are you planning to do?" Nick asked him. "You'll see," Milius grinned before he took the car out of reverse and put in in drive.

Soon, up ahead at the turn-in, a bike-riding wolf appeared, turning onto the road. Milius flashed the headlights at him and honked his horn before speeding forward. "Come on, Baby!" Milius growled out as he sped toward the wolf on the bike. "If you kill him, you'll-" "He'll dodge," Milius interrupted.

The wolf sped forward and revved his engine before speeding past the car and turning around. The slick road, however, caused the bike to fall onto its side and send the wolf falling to the ground, sliding around as he tried to regain his footing. "Ha! Can't do so well on mud, can you!?" Nick laughed as he looked back at the sight. "Don't get cocky, Slick. We still have another bike to deal with and Lisker still has Hopps with him. Turn on the radio and see if there's any chatter relating to us," Milius said.

" _This is dispatch to Unit Eight-Baker-Eight-Seven, Officer Blackwell has reported that Wilde has taken Inspector Milius hostage and is in pursuit. Please assist, over,_ " the dispatcher said. "Oh, you've gotta be _kidding me!_ " Nick exclaimed as he listened to the radio chatter. "They're already planning to kill me and cement you as the bad guy," Milius said. "Yeah. This was a _great plan!_ " Nick yelled sarcastically.

"Thanks," Milius quipped as he made a right turn onto the main road. "Keep an eye out, Slick. Make sure that he's following us," Milius said as he drove through the rain. "Hey, if both of them were patrolling this area, then where's the second one?" Nick asked as he looked out for any sign of Pelton. " _This is Unit Eight-Baker-Eight-Seven, Sergeant Burns reporting. What is their heading, over?_ " " _This is Blackwell. They're going onto the main road, heading for the freeway! I am in pursuit! Wilde is to be considered armed and dangerous, over._ "

* * *

Judy frowned as she listened to the radio chatter. "This isn't right," she muttered. "Relax, Hopps. When we find them, we'll give Wilde a chance to join us. If he accepts, then we can try to salvage this," Lisker said as he took a left turn onto the freeway. Judy glared at Lisker before looking back out the window. She looked at her cell phone and quietly set it to mute as she formulated a plan.

* * *

Benjamin Clawhauser looked down at his cell phone in surprise. "She wants me to do _what?_ " he asked himself in disbelief. He looked around the lobby to see if anyone was paying attention to him. Quietly fretting over what could happen if he went along with Judy's plan, Clawhauser soon realized what could happen if he _didn't_. Three animals' lives were in danger, and they needed his help. He wasn't about to let them down.

With steeled determination on his face, Clawhauser sent a reply to Judy's phone and then stood up. He gathered his gear before paging Chief Bogo and telling him that he needed to leave his post. " **What for?** " Bogo asked over the intercom. "Personal reasons, Chief. There's something that I need to do," Clawhauser said firmly.

" **Clawhauser, if you're out of donuts, you can wait to buy more after your shift is over,** " Bogo said. "Sorry, Chief. But this is more important than donuts. Our full dispatch office is filled with everyone else, and I'm not really needed here at this point. This is a life or death emergency, and I need to leave now," Clawhauser said. " **Clawhauser, what are you talking about? Clawhauser? Clawhauser!?** " Clawhauser had already left the front desk after placing a sign on it.

Jogging over to the parking garage, Clawhauser took out his keys and opened the front door of a cruiser. "You can do this, Ben. Your friends are depending on you," he said to himself as he got in the driver seat and familiarized himself with the controls. "Piece of cake," he said to himself before starting the engine and driving out of the garage.

* * *

Leo Horrowitz carefully placed the special tranquilizer dart behind another one as he loaded his dart gun. "Come on, where are they?" Burns asked as he drove the cruiser out onto the freeway. "Just get us close and I can hit Wilde with a dart," Horrowitz said as he locked the cartridge into place. "While he's driving? No. We'll get him to pull over. You can tranq the bastard after that," Burns said in response.

* * *

"Here he comes," Nick said as he saw a wolf riding a motorcycle behind them. "Can you identify which one it is?" Milius asked him. "It's Blackwell. He's got some mud on his outfit, but the rain's taking care of it," Nick replied. "So, where's Pelton?" Milius pondered before he saw a large enough space up ahead for a U-turn between lanes. "Hold on," Milius said before he sped up the car.

"What are you doing?" Nick asked the leopard as he drove up behind a large van carrying an elephant. "That sign up there says no U-turns," Nick said as he realized what Milius was planning to do. "You're right," Milius said as he slowed down before merging into the next lane and speeding up again.

Blackwell sped up until he was only a few cars behind them before he began weaving through traffic to get closer to them. Milius sped up and put on his turn signal as he merged in front of the elephant car before speeding into the break in the divider. "HOLY CRAP!" Nick screamed as he felt the car heave as Milius made a sharp and fast turn. "We're gonna flip! We're gonna flip!" Nick exclaimed.

Milius smirked as he re-balanced the car and drove into the other side of traffic. Blackwell followed them with no problem, his bike handling much better on the pavement than on the mud. "Wilde, see if you can spot the other one!" Milius ordered him. "I don't-wait! I see him! I see Pelton!" Nick exclaimed as he looked through the back window. Pelton and Blackwell were both side by side now.

The two bike swiftly weaved through traffic as they closed in on Milius's car. Nick looked around and saw both wolves speeding up and driving alongside cars and trucks as though they were performing a dance. "Damn, they're good," Nick muttered. He then saw one of them take a paw off the handle bar and reached down to their side.

"Oh shit," Nick said. "What? What's happening?" Milius asked him. "I think they're getting ready to shoot us!" Nick relayed. "Where's the closest one?" Milius asked him. "Huh?" Nick asked in response. "The wolf closest to us; where is he? How far away, what part of the car is he closest to?" Milius asked.

"I think it's Pelton! He's closest! He's right on our tail! He'll be by our side in a minute!" Nick exclaimed. Milius looked into the rear view mirror. "I see him now," he muttered. "What are you gonna do!?" Nick asked him. "Just hold on," Milius said before he slowed down. Pelton fell back a few paces and weaved to the side of the car to avoid running into it.

"Oh shit, speed up! Speed up!" Nick cried as he saw Pelton draw closer to his window. He couldn't see the wolf's face behind the large helmet, but the black reflective visor sent chills down his spine as he saw Pelton looking at him. He saw Pelton make a gesture for them to pull over. "Seriously!? He wants us to pull over?" Nick asked.

"Screw him!" Milius grunted before he hit the break briefly, causing the car to slow down dramatically and leaving Pelton far ahead of them. "Ha! Didn't expect that, did you!?" Milius taunted. "Uh, Inspector? Blackwell's coming up on us!" Nick exclaimed. "Shit!" Milius swore before he sped up and merged into a right lane. The rain started to get heavier.

Soon, Blackwell was behind them and Pelton had slowed down so that he was near Milius's side of the car. "Uh, I think we're cornered," Nick said. Milius looked to his left and saw that he had just enough room to merge left again, but he had to do it in the next few seconds.

Milius honked the horn, surprising Pelton as he merged left and got behind the wolf speeding up and forcing the wolf to increase his own speed as well. "Oh my god, do you even have a plan anymore!?" Nick asked the leopard. "Uh, yeah. I just have to-oh hell," Milius said as he saw a black sedan approaching behind them in the rear view mirror.

Looking back up ahead, Milius saw a police cruiser speeding down the other side of the divide. "That must be Burns and Horrowitz," Milius said. "Where?" Nick asked. "Just missed 'em," Milius said. A knocking sound caused both mammals to jump in their seats before they looked to the right and saw that Blackwell was right alongside them. He was hitting the passenger side window with his gloved fist.

Looking in the other window, Milius saw Pelton taking a small metal object out of his pocket and holding it carefully as he began to slow down. "Oh, no you don't!" Milius exclaimed as he realized that Pelton was going to attempt to slash his tires with a knife. Pelton fell back to the back left tire and jabbed at it with the knife in his hands.

"Okay, that is a whole new level of stupid," Milius said before he sped up. Pelton quickly retracted his paw to prevent it getting caught between the tire and rim, scratching the rim with the knife. Pelton placed the knife back in his pocket before retrieving a small container with several dozen tacks in it.

Hooking his arm around the handle to keep the action lever depressed, He used his other paw to open the container and prepared to throw the tacks at the bottom of the car. Milius watched this out of his side-panel mirror. "You wanna play dirty? Fine," Milius said before he slowed down and started merging the car closer to Pelton. Pelton tried to swerve to the left before he realzied that he was caught between the road divider and Milius's car. He prepared to throw the tacks just as Milius slowed down and lowered his window.

Milius looked out at Pelton and held out a paw, giving the wolf the finger. "Hey, Pelton! _Fuck you!_ " Milius exclaimed before he swerved the car, hitting the bike and causing Pelton to drop the tacks, spilling them onto the ground. Milius sped forward to avoid the tacks, but Pelton's bike ran over them, and he lost control of the bike, flipping over and being sent sailing through the air, landing on the road and rolling over in a gruesome manner. He did not get back up.

* * *

"Dear Efrafa!" Judy exclaimed as she saw Pelton's demise. "Well, that makes Milius a killer now, don't it?" Lisker said darkly. Pelton had been one of his most loyal subordinates, next to Benezio. "You know what this means, don't you?" Lisker asked Judy. Judy looked at him with uncertainty. "It means we have to use lethal force to subdue Milius. Wilde can still be taken alive, but Milius is the one driving the car. He just committed vehicular slaughter, so now I have to bring him in," Lisker said before reaching down and grabbing the radio in his car.

"This is Lieutenant Lisker. The car believed to be containing Wilde and Milius has just been used to harm and possibly kill Officer Pelton! Inspector Milius could not be found at the location where Wilde was last seen by Officer Blackwell. Therefore, it is unknown who is operating the vehicle at this time," Lisker said. "There, see? I made it so that we might still have a chance to bring Wilde in alive," Lisker said.

Lisker looked up into the rear view mirror. "Heh, I didn't think that Burns and Horrowitz would be catching up so soon. Wait... we passed them only a minute or two ago. They couldn't have gotten to the legal U-turn section yet," Lisker said to himself as he saw the cruiser increase its speed and catch up to them. "Who the hell is that?" Lisker asked himself before the cruiser came up to the passenger side.

Lisker glanced over and saw the window lower to reveal that last animal he would ever expect to see driving a car: Benjamin Clawhauser. "Clawhauser, what the hell are you doing!? Who's manning the front desk!?" Lisker asked the cheetah. Clawhauser glared at him before switching his attention to Judy. "Judy! Hop into the cruiser!" Clawhauser yelled as he held and arm out.

Lisker's jaw dropped as Judy smirked at him. "See ya later!" Judy exclaimed before unbuckling her seat belt. Lisker reached for his gun before hearing a car honk as he started passing into another lane. He quickly straightened his car's path, causing Judy to roll around the seat before regaining her balance.

"So, even after I hold up my end of the deal, you still try to get out of your end!? You shifty little bitch!" Lisker roared at her. "I should've had Pelton kill you instead and frame Wilde for it! Then there would be NO complications!" Lisker yelled, seething with anger. Judy opened the door, causing the alarm to go off in the sedan before looking back at Lisker. "For what it's worth, Milton, I understand _why_ you want to do things your way, but I can't condone your actions! You are an officer of the law! You are _not_ above it!" Judy exclaimed before turning around and leaping out of the doorway and latching onto Clawhauser's arm.

The rain made it difficult to keep a steady grip with just her paws, so Judy swung her body around the cheetah's arm so that she was wrapped around it before she began crawling forward, little by little as Clawhauser tried to control the steering wheel with only one paw. He tried bringing his arm back into the window, but the movement caused Judy to yelp as she lost her grip and slipped down, holding onto Clawhauser's arm by only her paws.

"Judy!" Clawhauser cried out in alarm. "I-I can make it!" Judy yelled as she took a breath and dug her little claws into Clawhauser's sleeves before climbing back onto his arm and securing herself to it. "Sorry!" Clawhauser cried out. Judy nodded her head against his arm before she tried climbing forward again.

Lisker honked his horn, alarming Judy and causing her grip to slip again. She almost lost her hold on the cheetah's forelimb again before digging her tiny claws into his arm. Clawhauser winced but bared the pain as he hunched forward as much as possible so that Judy could climb through the window and hop onto the seat next to him. Clawhauser sat back up and glanced over at the soaked little rabbit, who was taking several deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself down.

"Th-Thank you," Judy rasped out. Clawhauser quickly rolled up his window as he looked to his left and realized that Lisker's sedan was keeping pace with the cruiser. "Okay... what do we do?" Clawhauser asked Judy. Judy looked over at him and closed her eyes to think. "We... we have to get to Nick and Milius," Judy said. "How far ahead are they?" Judy asked Clawhauser.

"I don't know right now," Clawhauser replied. Clawhauser looked over and saw that Lisker's sedan was now speeding up, moving farther down the freeway. "Oh no," Clawhauser gasped as he realized that Lisker would reach the others before them. "What? What's wrong?" Judy asked him. "Lisker's getting ahead of us! He'll reach Nick and Conan first!" Clawhauser exclaimed.

"Hit the gas and floor it!" Judy ordered. Clawhauser nodded his head before putting the pedal to the metal. "Hang on, Nick! We're on our way!" Judy shouted as the cruiser sped forward, weaving through traffic and rain at high speeds.

* * *

"He's right on us!" Nick shouted as Blackwell chased them. Nick saw Blackwell point at them through the rear window before moving his paw across his neck. "Oh, he's definitely gonna kill us," Nick said before he saw a black sedan in the distance. "Hey, that car looks familiar," Nick said. Milius looked up at his rear view mirror.

"Aw hell, it's Lisker," Milius said. "And Judy's with him," Nick growled. He then heard his phone ringing and looked down at it. "Judy's calling," Nick said. "Well, let's hear what she has to say," Milius said as he glanced over at the space next to him before merging into the next lane. "Carrots?" Nick asked. " _Nick! Thank goodness you're still alive!_ " Judy exclaimed in relief.

"So, what are Lisker's demands?" Nick asked her. " _I'm not with Lisker. I'm in a cruiser with Clawhauser right now,_ " Judy replied. Nick felt extremely confused. "Clawhauser? Um, Carrots? What's Clawhauser doing out here?" Nick asked. " _He rescued me from Lisker! He and I aren't too far behind you guys now! We should-dammit!_ " Judy exclaimed.

"Judy!? What happened!? Are you okay!?" Nick asked worriedly. " _A big truck just merged into the lane in front of us, and there's another truck next to it! We've been cut off!_ " Judy explained. Nick turned to look at Milius and the road up ahead. "Hey, how far are we from the turn off to head back to Dom's?" Nick asked the leopard.

"Not too far. You got a plan?" Milius asked as Lisker's sedan caught up to them. "Sort of," Nick replied. "Well, you'd better tell me soon, 'cause I need to know if we're gonna take that left before we get to it," Milius said as he started merging back into the left lane. Blackwell followed behind them before speeding up to pass them. He was now keeping pace with them.

"Take the left!" Nick exclaimed as he saw Blackwell reach a paw into a pocket on his jacket and retrieve what looked like a small derringer pistol. It was a one shot weapon, but sometimes a single shot was all that mattered. Blackwell began slowing down just enough that he was near the near passenger window. "Oh shit! He's gonna shoot one of the tires!" Nick exclaimed.

Milius slowed down before speeding up and merging slightly to force Blackwell back. "The turn is coming up," Nick said as he saw the sign for the turn off point. "Hold onto your seat belt for dear life," Milius said as he sped up and put on his signal to turn. He quickly turned left and almost flipped the car as he sped through the intersection and onto the road that led to Dom's Bar & Grille.

Blackwell and Lisker quickly followed them. "What kind of tires do you have on this car?" Nick asked as they sped toward the entry way to the muddy dirt road. "All season. Why?" Milius asked him. "How well do they do in mud?" "They did fine earlier," Milius replied.

"While stopping? What about sharp turns?" Nick asked him. Milius glanced at the fox before sighing as he realized what Nick wanted him to do. "Damn lucky that I'm insured," Milius muttered before hitting the brakes. Lisker sped up and swerved to the right to avoid hitting the car, inadvertently driving off of the road and smashing the front of his car into a tree.

Blackwell, however, managed to lean to the left and passed the car, slowing down before stopping several yards up the road. Milius slowed down his car as he and Nick watched Blackwell turn his motorcycle until he was facing them. They trio were in a stare down.

"He's fast," Nick said. "So am I," Milius said. "This car is old," Nick said. "True, but it's tough," Milius responded as he started moving forward, picking up speed. Blackwell revved his engine and started moving forward. "You ever play chicken?" Milius asked Nick with a grin.

"No!" Nick replied. "First time for everything!" Milius exclaimed as he hit the gas. Blackwell pulled out his derringer once more and aimed the small pistol at them. Milius honked the horn and activated his car's high-beams, throwing off Blackwell's aim as he fired early, hitting the middle of the windshield. "Yikes!" Nick exclaimed as he saw the bullet hole and cracked windshield.

Blackwell sped forward, throwing the derringer away before pulling up his tranquilizer dart gun. "Hold on!" Milius exclaimed before he made a sharp turn, causing the car to spin as it kept moving. Blackwell tried swerving to avoid the car, only to send mud splashing up as he spun out of control and crashed into the side of the car, flying through the air and over the roof of the car, falling over onto the ground headfirst before gravity pulled the rest of his body over in a roll, breaking his neck.

Milius quickly stopped the car and put it in park before turning off the engine. "Whew! Holy _shit!_ " the leopard exclaimed with a grin as he looked over at Nick. Nick looked back at the leopard with uncertainty. "Uh, Inspector? We just killed two cops today," Nick said with a gulp. "Oh yeah," Milius said thoughtfully. "Doesn't that _bother you!?_ " Nick asked him.

"Not as much as it used to," Milius said as he leaned back against his seat. "He tried to kill us, so I defended myself," Milius said calmly. The leopard glanced over at Nick. "You probably think I'm not much better than Lisker and the others at this point," Milius said. Nick frowned in response. "I actually did sympathize with them... at first. Until the pool massacre, that is," Milius explained.

"Did you know that they were the ones?" Nick asked him. "Not at first, but it became pretty obvious after Furrero gave me those reports," Milius said. "So, now what-wait... do you hear that?" Nick asked. The fox and leopard both looked back to see a ZPD cruiser driving towards them before slowing down and stopping.

"I can't see who's driving," Milius said. "Clawhauser and Judy," Nick said with a smile. "Are you sure?" Milius asked him, a nagging sensation at the back of his mind telling him that something was off. "I'm positive," Nick said as he got out of the car and waved at the cruiser.

Milius lowered his window and looked back to see the cruiser's doors open. It wasn't Clawhauser who stepped out of the vehicle first. It was a tiger, who Milius recognized as Sergeant Eric Burns. "Burns?" Milius asked as he watched the tiger reach for his taser, causing the leopard to look back over at the open passenger door where Nick was standing.

Milius quickly got out and yelled for Burns to stand down. "He's unarmed!" Milius shouted at the tiger. "Inspector? Radio chatter said that you were taken hostage," Burns said. "You got it wrong, Burns. Wilde ain't the killer," Milius stated as he stood by the door, watching the passenger door of the cruiser open. He reached his left paw into his blazer to grip his sidearm.

"Uh, Conan? You may not think that I can see your arms, but my vision ain't that bad, even in the rain," Burns said. "Who's in the cruiser with you?" Milius asked, that nagging sensation screaming at him to remember something important. "Horrowitz," Burns replied.

"Shit! Wilde, get back in the car!" Milius exclaimed. Nick quickly dove back into the car as both felines heard the sound of a dart being fired and hitting the ground. "Horrowitz! Stand down!" Burns ordered. "He's a killer!" Horrowitz shot back. "We can't take any chances!"

"Call for backup; don't shoot him on sight!" Burns yelled at the ram. "He's too dangerous!" Horrowitz yelled back. "Bullshit! You and the rest of Lisker's ring are the dangerous ones!" Milisu shouted at the ram. Horrowitz stepped out of the vehicle, his dart gun aimed at the car. "Step away from the vehicle, Inspector," Horrowitz said firmly.

Milius frowned. "I outrank you, Horrowitz," Milius said darkly. "Both of you, calm down!" Burns exclaimed. "Milius, take your paws out of your jacket. Horrowitz, put the gun down and call for backup," Burns said firmly. Horrowitz refused to budge. "Horrowitz!" Burns exclaimed. Horrowitz grabbed the radio and called in. "This is Officer Horrowitz! Wilde has been found alive and armed. Inspector Milius and Sergeant Burns are down! Requesting backup and emergency medical transportation! Location is West Dark Fern Avenue!" Horrowitz exclaimed.

Burns looked at Horrowitz in shock and confusion. "What are talking about!?" Burns asked the ram. "We're not down!" "Not yet!" Horrowitz said before he aimed the dart gun directly at Burns. Burns' eyes widened in shock as Horrowitz prepared to shoot him. Milius was faster, however, and quickly pulled out his Smythe & Weasel 1911 before firing at Horrowitz, sending a single round into the ram's skull, blowing his brains out.

The ram fell over backwards onto the ground and dropped his dart gun. Burns looked at the empty air where Horrowitz had been standing just seconds earlier before turning his head to look at Milius, who was still holding his pistol. Milius felt Burns' focus and looked at him with narrowed eyes. Burns glanced back over to his right before returning his focus to Milius.

"You... you killed him," Burns said in shock as Milius walked over to him. "Yes. If I hadn't, then you'd be dead right now," Milius said quietly. "But... he was only pointing a tranquilizer gun at me. That wouldn't have killed me," Burns said. "Why does no one seem to get it?" Milius asked himself. "Burns, I'm one hundred percent sure that he had some darts in there that didn't have standard tranquilizer dosages in them," Milius said as Nick slowly came out of the car.

"When the tranquilizer gun is collected for evidence, you'll understand," Milius said. "Can't you just explain it to him now?" Nick asked the leopard. "Fine. Horrowitz and the rest of Lisker's gang were using darts filled with conotoxin, a peptide found in the venom of cone snails. It would've killed you in under a minute," Milius said as he spied another cruiser heading their way. "You'll find it in the darts carried by Blackwell and Pelton as well," Milius said.

Burns slowly shook his head disbelievingly. "He's right, Sergeant," Nick said. "Lisker had Hooper murdered in order to frame me, and he and his pack are the ones who assaulted Furrero, not me," Nick said. "Come on, Burns. Why would Horrowitz say that you and I were both down and that Wilde was armed when that clearly wasn't the case?" Milius asked the tiger. Burns took a deep breath and exhaled as another cruiser came to a stop behind his.

The passenger door opened and Judy got out while Clawhauser opened his door and looked out to ascertain the situation. "This is Officer Clawhauser on scene. Officer Wilde is alive an unarmed. I say again, he is _unarmed!_ Sergeant Burns and Inspector Milius are both alive and unharmed. Officer Horrowitz is miss-oh god," Clawhauser said as he sniffed the air and looked over after Judy yelped.

" _Please say again, Clawhauser. We did not catch that last part, over._ " "Officer Horrowitz is down, and so is Officer Blackwell," Clawhauser said as he looked over and saw the crumpled body of the wolf lying in a puddle on the ground. "He appears to have suffered an accident with his motorcycle. Inspector Milius's car has a motorcycle wedged in its side, over," Clawhauser said. " _Ten-Four. Medical teams are on their way with backup. Please remain at the scene. Who is the officer is charge?_ " Dispatch asked him. Clawhauser scratched his head.

"Uh, guys? Who's the officer in charge?" Clawhauser asked. "I am," Milius said firmly. "But you're off duty. You've been suspended, Inspector. I'm not sure that you can make that claim," Clawhauser said nervously. "I'm the only one who knows what the hell is going on," Milius shot back. "Right. Um, Inspector Milius, despite being off duty today, is the officer in charge, over," Clawhauser said.

" _Ten-Four. Alerting all personnel en route. Please remain at the scene until further notice, over,_ " Dispatch said. "Ten-Four. Clawhauser out," Clawhauser said before he hung up the radio and walked over to the other big cats. "Nick!" Judy shouted as she ran over to the fox's side, leaping up to hug him.

"Oh, easy there," Nick said as he returned the hug. "You're alive!" Judy cried happily as she hugged him tighter. "You bunnies are so emotional," Nick whispered affectionately as Judy cried into his chest. Clawhauser looked at the scene with a smile. The sound of rain, however, masked the footsteps behind him until he felt someone tapping on his shoulder.

Clawhauser turned around and saw a very angry wolf with a scar on the side of his face, glaring at him with a large revolver in his right paw. "You fat bastard," Lisker growled with fury as he brought the gun up and pointed it at Clawhauser's head. Clawhauser whimpered with fear.

"Lisker!" Nick shouted. "Put the gun down! It's over!" Lisker looked back over at the fox. "I was going to take you in alive, I really was, Wilde," Lisker said angrily as before he punched Clawhauser in the gut and walked away. Clawhauser gasped for breath before sinking to his knees, feeling the impact of the punch. "Clawhauser!" Judy cried out.

"Stay where you are, Hopps!" Lisker shouted as he marched forward and knelt down beside the body of Blackwell. "Quinn..." he whispered mournfully. He closed his eyes for a few seconds before opening them as he stood up and turned to face the group. "Lisker... what's going on here?" Burns asked the wolf. "Burns, walk away from this right now. These four... are mine," Lisker said as he brought his revolver up and aimed it at Nick. Judy instantly leapt up onto the roof of the car and blocked Lisker's view of the fox.

"Stop it, Lieutenant," Judy said. "It's over," she added. "No. It's not over," Lisker said quietly as his eyes began to feel damp. "It will _never_ be over. Not for me," Lisker said, his voice trembling as the laughter of a serial killer rang through his ears. "I'm trying to make the world a better place. Why can't any of you see that? Why do you want this broken system to continue letting evil flourish?" Lisker asked them.

"Because it's that or anarchy," Milius said. "So a system where murderers and rapists can go free because of their victims' species is okay with you? It's okay that the victims have to live in fear because their attackers were allowed to walk free? It's okay that murderers and rapists can walk away because they have money? You make me sick," Lisker said.

"You used that same system to cover your tracks when you framed Wilde for attacking Furrero and killing Hooper," Judy hissed at him. "You're a hypocrite," Judy spat. Lisker kept his gun trained on her while he slowly backed away. "You know what? I'm not going to kill you," he said. "Instead... I'm going to prosecute you. All of you, with your own system," Lisker said darkly. "Let's see how much you want to defend this system when you're on the receiving end of society's bigotry," he added.

"Besides, you're all complicit with the deaths of three police officers. You're basically killers, especially _you_ , Milius," Lisker said. "Maybe so, but I know where the line is drawn," Milius responded. "The line? There _is_ no line," Lisker spat as he backed up to the cruisers. "It'll be my word against yours, Hopps! And don't think you can trap me like you did Bellwether," Lisker said as he reached into one of his pockets and pulled out an orange carrot pen.

Judy gasped as she felt around for the pen, hoping that Lisker was merely holding an identical pen of his own. Her hope faded, however, when she realized that her pen was nowhere on her person. "That's right, Hopps. You have _nothing_ on me," Lisker said with a smirk as he placed the pen in his back pocket. "Now, Horrowitz said on the radio that Milius and Burns were both down. I can injure Burns, but you, Milius? Oh, I can't quite be so merciful with you," Lisker said with a sneer.

"Lieutenant, think about what you're saying," Burns said calmly. "Burns, if you just keep quiet, I won't go after you. You can even join me, if you'd like," Lisker offered as he slowly backed up. Lisker continued backing up until he felt something behind him. "What the-?" he asked before he turned around to see the angry face of a furious Benjamin Clawhauser.

Clawhauser struck his arms forward, grabbing Lisker's arms and wrists before the wolf had a chance to react. The cheetah immediately began applying his claws and pressure from his digits and palms to force Lisker to let go of his gun with a yelp of pain. Clawhauser kicked the gun away as he glowered at the wolf.

"You tried to kill my friends," Ben said darkly with a frown. Lisker snarled at the cheetah, who merely growled back. Clawhauser let go of one of Lisker's arms as he bent slightly and brought one of his own arms back, curling his paw into a first, before smirking at Lisker in triumph. Despite the cat's cheerful and harmless demeanor, Lisker had begun to realize that, yes, Clawhauser was still required to pass a fitness examination once a year.

"This bulk of mine ain't just fat, Lieutenant," Clawhauser said with a grin before he brought his fist forward, ramming his fist into the wolf's gut. Lisker felt the wind fly out of his body at the impact. Clawhauser let go of the other arm and sent another first forward, this time socking Lisker in the jaw. The wolf was sent flying back onto the muddy ground, coughing and whining in pain. Clawhauser bent down and carefully picked up the revolver by the end of the muzzle, taking a large plastic bag out of a pocket on his uniform to hold the gun before closing it.

"C-Clawhauser?" Judy asked quietly as she watched the gentelest animal she'd ever met kick the crap out of Lieutenant Lisker. Clawhauser looked over at her apologetically, the rain having softened enough that he could hear her. "I don't really like being violent," Clawhauser said sadly. "But... ironically, I couldn't see any other way to resolve this situation," he added with a sigh.

"Well... you didn't _kill_ anybody," Nick said, still somewhat shocked by the sight of Clawhauser lashing out at someone physically. "That's true," Clawhauser said in agreement. "Oh," Lisker groaned on the ground before Clawhauser walked over and rolled him onto his stomach. He lifted the wolfs arms back and placed a pair of cuffs on his wrists before sitting the wolf upright. Milius walked over, finally shaking himself out of his shock at Clawhauser's actions.

"I don't... hear it anymore," Lisker said. "Huh?" Clawhauser asked him. "The laughter... I don't hear him laughing anymore," Lisker said in a breathless tone. "Who?" Clawhauser asked him curiously as Milius crouched down next to the wolf. "It... it doesn't matter anymore," Lisker said quietly.

"The Constellation Killer," Milius whispered. "He's finally gone," Lisker said. "He's been gone for a long time, Lieutenant," Milius said quietly. "Has he? All this time... even after I killed him, I could still hear his laugh," Lisker said softly. "It's over now, Lieutenant. He's gone. You did your duty," Milius said.

"Even still... the system is still broken," Lisker said with a mournful sigh. "Yes, but it's what we've got, and some day... it'll get better," Clawhauser said. A pensive look overtook Lisker's face before he turned to look at Clawhauser. "When?" That was the final thing he said before the medical response teams arrived along with several other police cruisers.

Clawhauser sighed as he set up the barrier between the front seats and the back before leading Lisker inside. Lisker looked at him briefly before looking over his shoulder as Chief Bogo walked over. "Chief," Clawhauser said. "Clawhauser... I expect an explanation for what happened today," Bogo said with restrained anger.

"It was my idea," Milius said as he walked over to the cruiser. "Inspector... why am I not surprised?" Bogo asked darkly. "Because you heard my name on the radio," Milius said nonchalantly. "So... mind explaining to me just why three cops died today?" Bogo asked him with a snarl. "Self defense," Milius said simply.

"That's it?" Bogo asked, bewildered. "I can give you a report, along with the other reports that Wilde, Hopps, Burns, and Clawhauser will be filling out," Milius said. "You're on thin ice, Inspector, and I am this close to demanding your badge," Bogo said. "Chief," Judy said as she and Nick walked over to them.

"Wilde," Chief said as he looked at the fox. "Hey, Chief. Miss me?" Nick asked him. "Chief, we can explain all of it to you," Judy said. "Really? Well, I'd like to hear it," Bogo said. Before Judy could open her mouth to speak, she heard her own voice coming out of the cruiser. " _It's over._ " Everyone turned to look at Lisker, who was holding the carrot pen in his paws. " _No, it's not over. It will NEVER be over. Not for me._ " The rest of the multi-way conversation between Lisker and the others played out over the pen, up to Lisker's last words before Clawhauser had attacked him.

"Go home and get cleaned up, Wilde. You too, Hopps. I expect you both to be at the station tomorrow morning for an inquiry. We have a long week ahead of us, getting this mess cleaned up," Bogo said. Bogo took one last look at Lisker, who had a deflated look of resignation on his face as he leaned back against the seat. Bogo leaned forward and made sure that Lisker's seat belt was buckled before closing the door.

Bogo turned to look at Judy and Nick, both of whom were still standing by the cruiser, even as the rain continued pouring down. "Wilde... even with that... confession, we'll still need to have you undergo some official scrutiny from Internal Affairs. It's to make sure that you are officially cleared of any wrongdoing," Bogo said. Nick nodded his head. "And Hopps... why didn't you say anything?" Bogo asked her.

"I... I panicked, sir. I've never... been in a situation like this. I didn't know what to do," Judy said. "Lisker _is_ -er, _was_ -no, still is, at this moment, a high-ranking officer. I can see how you might fear his ability to halt or even destroy your career," Bogo said somberly. "He said that he would make sure Nick was brought back alive if I cooperated with him," Judy said.

"I see. As I said, both of you go get cleaned up. We have... a very long week ahead of us," Bogo said as he saw Blackwell's body being stuffed into a bodybag. Bogo sighed through his nostrils as he took a better look at the scene. "Damn, this is a mess," Bogo muttered under his breath before walking back over to his cruiser.

* * *

Date: Saturday, June 7th, 2017 

"Turn off the light," said a groggy voice. "You know," Nick Wilde started, "We came all this way to see you as soon as we could." "Thanks, but I want to sleep. Go away," Cynthia Furrero grumbled as she tried to pull her covers over her head. "Come on, Furrero. At least say hello to everyone," McHorn said.

"Yeah. We all thought you'd never wake up," Higgins, a hippo, said. "I'm regretting the decision already," Cynthia said. "Nurse! I have annoying people in my room," Cynthia fake-yelled. "Furrero," Bogo said as he walked forward, with Judy and Nick behind him. "Chief," Cynthia said.

"How are you feeling?" Bogo asked her. "Same as I did yesterday-wait, no I don't. I feel worse, since now I'm not allowed to sleep whenever I want," Cynthia said. "Hey, without your testimony, I'd probably still be undergoing questioning twice a day," Nick said. "So sorry," Cynthia said bitterly.

"Now, now. Everyone calm down," Bogo said. "Sure, it's not like _your_ colleagues were trying to kill _you_ based solely on hearsay," Nick grumbled. Some of his fellow officers looked away shamefully as they remembered how their bigotry had blinded them to the obvious. "Yes, well... that was not some of our fellow officers' brightest moments," Bogo said as he turned to glare at certain individuals.

"So... how's Hooper's family doing?" Cynthia asked. "Um... they're doing okay. They did want to press charges against Pelton... until they learned that he was dead," Nick said. "And Blackwell?" Cynthia asked. "Dead," Nick replied. "Good riddance," Cynthia muttered. "He's the one who did most of the damage," she said bitterly.

"Lisker is still alive. He's being held in a jail right now. He... admitted to everything," Judy said. "I didn't think he still had it in him," Cynthia muttered. "Still had what in him?" Bogo inquired. "That sense of responsibility," Cynthia said. "I thought for sure that he viewed himself as being blameless and that all of his actions were in the right," Cynthia said.

"He did... for a while," Judy said. "Horrowitz is dead too," Nick said. "Horrowitz? What the hell happened?" Cynthia asked. "Inspector Milius... shot him," Nick said slowly. "Why?" Cynthia asked. "He... was going to kill Sergeant Burns with a dart full of conotoxin. We searched his dart gun, and three of the darts in it had conotoxin cocktails," Nick said.

"Oh," Cynthia said. "I figured he was part of the ring, but I thought he was only doing internal stuff like forging documents and rigging cameras and inventory lists," Cynthia said. "So... only Lisker and Benezio are left then?" Cynthia asked them. "Yeah," Nick said.

"Are they gonna stay locked up?" Cynthia asked. "At this time... we don't know for certain, but it seems likely," Bogo said. "I wish I'd gotten more solid evidence sooner," Cynthia said, downcast. "Why's that?" Clawhauser asked her. "Well... obviously, if I'd been able to expose them sooner, then Wilde here wouldn't have been framed, and maybe no one would've died," Cynthia explained.

"What's gonna happen to Milius, since he killed the other three?" Cynthia asked. "He only directly killed Horrowitz," Nick said. "He'll be on probation. Since his actions were all in self defense, he won't be locked up or sentenced, but he will be forced to undergo a probationary period under surveillance from Internal Affairs," Bogo said.

"And Wilde? Since he's been proven to be not guilty?" Cynthia asked. "He already had his probationary period. He's off the hook now," Bogo said. "Even after it was proven that you were innocent, they still made you go through that?" the coywolf asked the fox. "Eh, could've been worse," Nick said in response with a shrug.

The rest of the day passed without much excitement as the officer in the room shared stories with the coywolf before departing. As Judy and Nick walked outside of the hospital in the cool night air, Nick sighed before looking over at Judy. "So... you still wanna keep being a cop after everything we've been through?" Nick asked her.

"I... I don't know," Judy said, her voice uncertain. "Wait... you don't know?" Nick asked her incredulously. "I-I... Nick, Lisker showed me a side of the law that I never even considered before. I mean, I know that life is messy, but I never once thought that things could go this deep," Judy said with a frown.

"I've known for a long time," Nick said. Judy turned to look away. "But then along came this little rabbit with big dreams, and even after learning that the world wasn't all that she thought it was, she still had the passion and the drive to try and make a difference. Well, she did give up a little bit, but she was still willing to get back in the ring and try again," Nick said with a smirk.

Judy turned back to look at him. "Don't give up hope, Carrots. Yes, Lisker had a point about certain things not working the way they should, but that's why the world needs cops like us to fix those problems, otherwise animals even worse than Lisker will try to use that to their advantage," Nick said. "But then how do you know if you've gone too far? Just where is the line drawn?" Judy asked as she and Nick both sat down on a bench outside of the hospital.

"Well, I guess the only thing I can really say about that is to know your limitations," Nick said as he looked at her. "You're right," Judy said. "We all have limitations, and some of us just... don't know how far they go," Nick said. "Carrots, let me tell you something, okay? If you don't think you still want to be a cop after all of this, then I might as well turn in my badge too, because there's no point in making a difference if the person who inspired me is gonna call it quits too," Nick said.

"Well then, I guess I'll have to stay on the force," Judy said with a smirk. "Damn right you will, Officer Hopps," Nick said with a smirk of his own. "Of course... Officer Wilde," Judy said. "Uh, before we part ways... what do you think my chances are of getting that apartment that Cynthia showed us?" Nick asked Judy. "We'll just have to wait and see," Judy said before getting up and walking away.

"Yeah," Nick said as he looked up at the night sky. He looked at Judy as she caught a bus heading back to her apartment before closing his eyes. "Wait and see," he said. "I guess I can't push it. After all, an animal's gotta know their limitations."

Ending Theme: Cheer Down, by George Harrison

Alternate Ending Theme: I'll Be Holding On, by Gregg Allman

* * *

**ALTERNATE RESOLUTION**

"Besides, you're all complicit with the deaths of three police officers. You're basically killers, especially _you_ , Milius," Lisker said. "Maybe so, but I know where the line is drawn," Milius responded. "So what makes you better than me then? Huh? What makes it okay for you to kill my officers, but not for them to kill evil pieces of shit like Vanderbelt and the Fasa brothers!?" Lisker snapped.

"Oh, don't get me wrong, Lieutenant. Those bastards deserved what they got, and I don't blame you for going after them, but the thing is... you stopped going after only the monsters, and started killing those who _didn't_ deserve it. Most of the foxes at the pool, Hooper, and even me and Burns, along with Wilde and Hopps. Have you looked in the mirror lately?" Milius asked in response.

"If I don't do it... no one else will," Lisker replied. "There's no guarantee that something better will come along or that the system will be changed for the better. We had to do this now while we still could," Lisker said sadly. "But you overestimated your boys. They weren't experienced enough to restrain themselves or to truly understand why you started this," Milius said.

"Lieutenant, you told me that when you first started going after the bad guys on your own, you had problems with what you were doing. You felt guilt over killing them, didn't you? But Blackwell, Pelton, and the others... they never felt guilt over what they'd done, did they?" Judy asked the wolf. Lisker looked down at the ground as Judy's words struck him.

"They felt that what they were doing was okay right from the start, and they never looked back," Judy said sadly. Lisker silently nodded his head as he started to kneel onto the ground before sitting in a puddle and drawing his legs up together, resting his chin on them. "I wanted to make the world a better place. The system had failed too many times," Lisker said. "I saw this as the only option," he added.

"I'm sorry, but... I'm placing you under arrest, Lieutenant," Milius said as he carefully walked over to the wolf, keeping one paw on his pistol, just in case. Lisker drew a breath before holding his arms out. "Burns, give me your cuffs," Milius ordered. The tiger grabbed a pair from his belt and threw them into the air. Milius caught them and placed them around Lisker's wrists. "To be honest, Lieutenant... if you hadn't gone after the others or the foxes at the pool, I probably would've joined you," Milius said.

Lisker merely breathed in and out while quietly nodding his head in acknowledgement of Milius's words. The big cat slowly walked back over to Clawhauser's cruiser and opened the side passenger door. Lisker silently let the tears flow down his face as his dream came crashing down in the face of reality.

Alternate Alternate Ending Theme: Dreams, by Van Halen (Because mood whiplash is a _wonderful_ thing)

* * *

Author's Note:

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well... it's over. That's it. This is the end of Magnum Fur. This was the first part of the Reckless Endangerment series. The second part is called Reckless Endangerment. The third part of the series is called The Scales Of Fear, but that will not be posted here until after I have posted the entirety of Reckless Endangerment. Let me know what you guys think of it in your reviews.


End file.
